Eight Week Series
by Jackie W
Summary: One broken leg, eight weeks and a lot of misadventures lead to change for SG1- Complete!
1. Prologue: One Slippery Slope

Title: "Eight Weeks Series – Prologue: One Slippery Slope"   
  
Author: Jackie W.   
  
Email: jackiesfic@aol.com  
  
Rating: PG-13 (a couple of bad words and possible sexual situations later)  
  
Classification: SJ UST/Romance  
  
  
  
Season: Season 7, immediately after Resurrection  
  
Spoilers: One small one for Solitudes  
  
  
  
Summary: Eight weeks, one broken leg, several new teammates, and a series of misadventures create a lot of upheaval for SG1.  
  
  
  
Author's Notes: This fic idea actually sprung out of another one I was working on and Muse decided this one would be become a mini-series of fics and now refuses to work on anything else. Isn't it enough I have two stubborn teens and a husband and a boss to contend with?   
  
  
  
It hadn't stopped raining for days. Sam shook her head to once again clear the water from eyes and sighed. This mission had started out so well. Their hike from the gate to the ruins four days ago had been beautiful. The Stargate was located in a valley with flora and fauna more lush than anything she had ever seen on Earth. Even the Colonel had whistled in appreciation when they first stepped through. Sam had stopped several times and had filled every sample bag and jar that she had with plants and soil. Then when they had reached the ruins in the foothills it had been Daniel's turn to get excited. The symbols on the outer walls were definitely Furling.   
  
It was on the second day at the ruins, while Daniel was recording the writings Teal'c had found in the remains of one of the central buildings, that the rain had started. The sun had been shining brightly and remained out at the beginning of the downpour, so they expected a typical tropical storm that would pass quickly. Instead the sky had soon darkened and the steady hard rain had not let up for the last seventy hours. The spot where they had set up camp was relatively sheltered by the ruins, so at first they had simply waited it out giving Daniel extra time to record what he'd found.   
  
Eventually they'd had to break camp and head back to the gate despite the rain. They were a two-day hike away from the valley taking into account the slower going in the rain and they only had three days of food left. Plus they were due back in thirty hours. They were hoping they would be close enough to the gate for their radios to work when Hammond opened it to check on them.   
  
That part of the plan had worked well and O'Neill had been able to assure Hammond that they were safe several hours ago.  
  
"Just a bit of a rain delay," the Colonel had reported.   
  
'Rain delay my ass,' Sam thought as she once again shook the moisture from her eyes. Shortly after they had talked to the General the rain had turned into an all out monsoon. Since they were still in the more difficult terrain of the foothills their progress had slowed to a crawl. They had about another hour to go until they would reach the relative safety of the flatter land of the valley the Gate was in. Then the unthinkable occurred. The path they were walking on only qualified as a path because they hacked their way through the undergrowth on their way to the ruins. The ground rose gently to their right, and fell away slightly more steeply to their left as they followed their previously blazed trail. With the wind and the rain they did not even hear anything to give them a warning until a split second before disaster struck.  
  
The Colonel had been in front leading and Teal'c was on their six. The mudslide swept between the two right across where Daniel and Sam were walking. Sam, a step ahead and to the left, had no chance to react. Daniel, had a split second longer and was within Teal'c's reach when he lunged desperately to hold onto his teammate who was able to maintain his balance. Sam however was knocked off her feet and started sliding down the slope to their left being carried along by the mud and debris.  
  
After the initial shock passed she desperately tried to find something to break her fall. She had just about given up hope as the slope was getting steeper and she was picking up speed when she found what she was looking for. Unfortunately, she found it because her left foot slammed into it. Even as the pain shot through her body a small part of her brain screamed at her and she reached out instinctively grabbing for the object that had slowed her decent. It took two full minutes for the remainder of the mudslide to pass her by at which point Sam found herself clinging to the remains of a tree trunk with pretty much of a straight drop below her. The valley floor was about 200 feet further down and she tried very hard not to think about what would have happened to her if she hadn't found this lifeline. Unsure about the strength of the root structure in the rain soaked ground she reached around with her uninjured right foot to try to find a solid spot to take some of her weight. Luckily this particular spot seemed to be a bit more rocky, and she was soon able to even out her weight between the small outcrop her foot had found and the branch above her, giving her arms a bit of relief too. She slowly leaned her body into the slope so that she was fairly secure. Then she took stock of her situation.   
  
The left leg was definitely broken. Probably the ankle too. From above she could hear someone shouting her name, and unable to reach her radio she called back as loudly as she dared, then closed her eyes and willed herself not to black out as pain shot through her head. Possible concussion too. She took long slow breaths until she felt her vision steady. Passing out was not an option.  
  
  
  
Up above, her three teammates had jumped into action just moments after Sam had been swept away. Jack had moved forward well out of the path of the mud as soon as he'd ensured Teal'c had Daniel to safety and had started digging through his pack to find rope and the lightweight harness he knew were in there. By the time Daniel had dropped down onto his stomach to try to look over the edge and spot Sam he was already threading the rope through the belay device. A moment later Teal'c was at his side helping him into the gear.   
  
"Do you see her Daniel?" Jack asked as he and Teal'c hunted for a solid spot to use as an anchor point.  
  
"I think so, but it's hard to tell," Daniel responded. He tried raising Sam on the radio and then called out over the side of the hill. They were all relieved to hear a feint response. "Yeah, she's just over halfway down holding onto something. You'd better hurry," Daniel warned.  
  
Jack was already easing himself over the side of the slippery slope, but he couldn't spot his 2IC. "Where the hell is she?" he cursed.  
  
Daniel tried to give him a couple of reference points, but Jack was unable to distinguish the mud covered Major from the rest of the hill. "Keep her talking Daniel so I can follow her voice," he ordered as he nodded to Teal'c to start letting him down.   
  
  
  
Sam knew someone was coming down to get her. Even though she couldn't reach her radio to respond Daniel was talking to her through it. Alternately she could hear him shouting to her occasionally obviously not sure if her radio was working or not. Now he was telling her to keep talking so that the Colonel could follow her voice. It was getting hard to stay alert so talking was probably a good idea. With no clear idea of what to say she started to ramble.   
  
"Colonel? You are probably cursing right about now. I'm sorry, Sir. Just please hurry because I don't know how long I can stay conscious. My left leg is definitely broken, Sir. Lot of cuts and bruises, and a possible concussion, but other than that everything seems to be functioning," she rambled, repeating the situation a couple of times as he got closer.  
  
Jack couldn't make out her words at first, but the sound of her voice reassured him as he made his way down as quickly as possible. When he was finally close enough to understand what she was saying he began to worry. He was going to have to get her back up with a broken leg, which would be tricky and painful. Plus she was repeating herself and getting less coherent with each repetition. Definite signs of shock setting in. He began talking to her hoping to keep her alert a bit longer.  
  
"I'm almost there Carter. This is a nifty little shortcut you found but I think we'll stick to the original path if you don't mind," he told her.  
  
"Fine by me, Sir,' she responded weakly.  
  
"You know I'm going to have to splint that leg don't you? I've been waiting six years for this chance," he warned her.  
  
"Glad I could make your day, Sir," Sam mumbled.  
  
He was close enough to see her now and she was fading quickly. "Stay with me, Major. That's and order!" he demanded.   
  
Sam raised pain filled eyes to meet his. "Yes, Sir," she acknowledged   
  
Two minutes later he was at her position. He immediately secured her to him in case she passed out and then set about getting her into position to make the trip back up.  
  
"Carter, which leg is broken, the left one?" he asked.  
  
After getting a nod in response he figured the best position for them to ascend would be face to face with her right side and his left facing the hillside. That way her left leg would be protected and he would be able to use his left arm to keep them clear of any obstructions. He got himself into position then gave her directions.   
  
"Carter, I'm going to hold onto you around your waist and I want you to reverse your hands on the branch and turn to your left until you are facing me. On the count of three. Ready?" he explained.  
  
"Yeah," she replied moving her hands as he had told her.  
  
"1, 2, 3!" he ordered.  
  
He heard her gasp in pain as she made the maneuver into the new position. But she managed to stay conscious.  
  
"Good job. Now I'm going to re-secure you and I'll have Daniel and Teal'c pull us up," he informed her.  
  
She nodded weakly and waited for him to be done tying off the rope. Then she raised her arms and put them around his neck.  
  
"Permission to pass out," she murmured. She was unconscious before he could agree.  
  
After quickly checking her pulse Jack heaved a sigh of relief. Her pulse was strong and it was probably better that she be out of it for the next part anyway. He kept his right arm wrapped around her waist and reached for his radio with his left, signaling his teammates up top that he had her and they could start to pull them up.   
  
'And they wonder why I have gray hair,' he thought sarcastically as he pulled the women in his arms close to him to keep her from flopping around too much.   
  
It seemed to take hours for them to get back to where Teal'c and Daniel were steadily working to pull them up. In reality it took only twenty minutes. About two thirds of the way up Sam regained consciousness for a bit, obviously confused to find herself being held firmly in her CO's grasp. She raised questioning eyes to his.   
  
"Hey," he said. "Don't move, you have a broken leg. You got swept down the hill and Daniel and Teal' are pulling us up. We should be at the top soon," he assured her.   
  
He saw understanding dawn, but it was the quickly masked disappointment that surprised and secretly thrilled him. Maybe it was because he was still off balance from the fear that he would not make it to her in time, or maybe it was because he was just getting tired of hiding his feelings, but something made him open his mouth to honestly reassure her.  
  
"Not that I'm not enjoying every moment of having you in my arms, Carter. I'd just prefer it if you were not in pain and mostly unconscious at the time," he confessed.  
  
She looked up at him again in surprise, a look that quickly softened into something else. "Me too," she agreed, then she ducked her head back onto his shoulder with her face turned into his neck.  
  
He swore he felt her lips pressed up against the skin there before a change in her breathing told him she had once again passed out. He checked her pulse and found it to still be steady and strong, so he concentrated on getting them up the rest of the way as safely and quickly as possible. They reached their teammates five minutes later and the three men instantly set to work again. Daniel helped Jack and Sam out of the ropes and harness then set about getting the first aid equipment out. While Jack checked Sam over and set her leg, Teal'c kept most of the rain off of her with a tarp, and Daniel packed up the climbing gear and got out the portable stretcher. Within a half an hour they were ready to continue the hike to the gate. Jack looked at his watch just before he lifted his end of the stretcher. The entire incident had taken just over an hour.   
  
Little did he know that it would trigger a chain of events that would change all of their lives.  
  
End Prologue 


	2. Week One: Find Me Some Solid Ground

Title: "Eight Weeks Series – Week one: Find Me Some Solid Ground (1/1)"  
  
Author: Jackie W.   
  
Email: jackiesfic@aol.com  
  
  
  
Summary: Grief, a serious prognosis, painmeds and Pete all conspire to make for a rocky start to Sam's recovery.   
  
  
  
  
  
Sam had only been in the infirmary for three days, but she was quietly going crazy. Her teammates would have had to be blind not to realize what the problem was. Everywhere you looked there were reminders of Fraiser. And every time Sam woke up she expected to see her friend hovering. They could actually see the grief wash over her each time she realized that it was the new CMO and not Janet checking her vital signs. That coupled with the pain that she was in had her on the verge of a breakdown, and she had begged the new CMO to let her go home.  
  
Dr. Meyer was still playing it by the book though. He wanted to monitor Sam's mild concussion and ensure that no infection set into the myriad of cuts she had received. He also refused to send her home until she was strong enough to get around on crutches, having checked her file and noting she had no family to assist her. Finally Hammond stepped in. He normally wouldn't interfere with the medical treatment being given, but in this case he quietly made Dr. Meyer aware that Sam did indeed have family in her SG1 teammates and Cassandra Fraiser. He also clued the doctor into the reasons for getting the Major out of the depressing infirmary environment as quickly as possible.   
  
Later that day Sam let the guys settle her onto the couch in her living room with a huge sigh of relief. She hadn't been sleeping well in the infirmary but now that she was home and surrounded by her teammates she let the painkillers she had taken just before leaving the SGC take over and she quickly fell into a deep peaceful sleep. She slept through Daniel and Teal'c heading out to get groceries and movies and Cassie coming home from school.   
  
Cassie's eyes flew to the sleeping figure in surprise and then to Jack O'Neill who had been watching TV with the volume turned down. He switched off the set and signaled for her to be quiet and then met up with her over in the kitchen where he explained in hushed tones.   
  
"We sprang her a little while ago. She's been sleeping since we got here. Teal'c and Daniel will be back soon with food," he told her. "We'll let her sleep until dinner is ready."  
  
"How is she really?" the teen asked, having gotten only the considerably condensed version of events so far. Nobody had wanted to worry her with just how close she had come to losing another surrogate mother.  
  
"The doctor's are concerned. It was a really bad break, multiple bones in the foot and ankle plus a compound fracture of the tibia. To make matters worse she did some muscle and ligament damage as well. They are worried she won't ever get full mobility and strength back. But they don't know her. They have no clue how hard she'll work to get back in shape. I think she will prove them wrong. It's just going to take a while," Jack assured her.  
  
"What if the doctor's are right?" Cass asked in concern.  
  
"She'll get a medical discharge. But she will still be at the SGC. We couldn't afford to lose her. But that's the worst possible scenario Cass. We need to be positive for her and not let her give up," Jack stated confidently, wondering who he was trying to convince Cassie or himself.   
  
"Too bad the Tok'Ra are incommunicado," Cassie commented. "Selmac could use the healing device."  
  
Jack hated to agree with her, but for once he really wished one of the damn snake-heads would make an unscheduled visit. Barring that, what he really wanted was for Fraiser to be there to give them an honest assessment. He just didn't know if this new Doc was being overly cautious or not. Dr. Meyer didn't know Carter and her unusual body chemistry. Jack had once seen her throw off a case of the flu that had felled two hundred-pound marines. She might not have a symbiote, but the naquada in her blood still seemed to give her body's healing powers a boost. Hopefully that would be the case this time as well.   
  
A short while later, Sam woke up to the muted voices of her teammates. She could hear them moving around putting groceries away and she wondered how long she had been asleep. If the pain she was in was any indication she had been out long enough for it to be time to take her meds again. She twisted slightly so she could read the clock on the VCR and was shocked to see that she had another two hours before she could take any more pain pills. She had a feeling it was going to be a long night.   
  
By lunchtime the next day it was obvious to everyone that something was wrong. Sam had thrown-up twice from the pain, and Jack had put in a frantic call to the SGC infirmary. In the old days, Fraiser would have made a house call, which was definitely preferable to dragging Sam back for an exam. Luckily Dr. Warner was just heading off duty and offered to stop by. The male members of SG1 practically hugged the man when he arrived. Sam's description of how the pain pills were only taking the edge off and were wearing off too soon prompted Warner to pick up the bottle and check over the contents. What he saw surprised him. While the pills contained one of the few drugs that didn't react negatively with the naquada, the dosage was only a fraction of what the Major usually required.  
  
"Well, Major. I'm very glad I was there to take the Colonel's call. Obviously we need to make a larger note in your file of your requirements to prevent this from happening again. For the time being you can double the number of pills you are taking, or even triple them if that doesn't do the job. I'll write you a new script for a higher dosage that you can fill when you run out of these. You are probably going to need something to control the pain for the next 3-4 days. At that point I expect you to be able to start doing without. If not, then we'll want to examine you again," he explained patiently.  
  
"Thank you Doctor, " Sam replied gratefully. "I'm sure once I'm able to get a couple of night's of sleep I will feel much better."  
  
The doctor nodded his agreement. He'd seen the notation on her chart when he'd checked it before coming over that she hadn't slept well in the infirmary. If she had gone several days with no real sleep and the pain pills weren't doing the job it was no wonder she had been nauseous. A couple of days to sleep and stay totally off her feet should be all she needed. He looked over at the three obviously worried men attending her and knew he was leaving her in good hands.   
  
"Make sure she takes it easy gentlemen," he warned as he took his leave, more for her benefit than theirs.  
  
"Don't worry Doc, we won't let her lift a finger," Jack assured him. "And thanks," he added sticking out his hand to shake the doctor's.   
  
Dr. Warner took the offered hand in surprise. He was well aware of the Colonel's dislike of all things medical, so this show of gratitude was a bit unexpected. He would have been shocked if he knew the number of times Dr. Fraiser had gotten a private thank you from O'Neill after she had patched up one of his team. It wasn't something the battle-worn Colonel wanted to get around.   
  
True to Sam's word, once she got a sufficient dose of painkillers into her she slept like the dead. Eventually as she began to snore, (much to the amusement of her teammates who had never heard such a racket from the woman before), Daniel and Teal'c decided to head back to the base with a promise that one of them would come relieve Jack in the morning. Jack puttered around until Cassie got home, and once she had assured him she had very little homework the two set about making a light dinner. Sam woke up for a couple of hours, and they were able to get her to eat some soup and crackers. Then they settled down to watch a movie. Finally Sam announced she was ready to go back to bed, and Jack carried her to the bathroom. After Cassie had helped her get washed up, the two tucked her into bed and gave her more pain meds.   
  
Soon after their patient had fallen once more into a deep sleep, the phone rang. Since Cass was in her room and had her own phone line (which she was currently using to chat with a friend), Jack debated on whether he should answer it or let the machine pick it up. Worried it would wake his 2IC he picked it up on the second ring.   
  
"O'Neill," he stated bluntly.  
  
"Colonel O'Neill? It's Pete. Pete Shanahan. I was calling for Sam. Is she in?" the suddenly wary voice on the other end of the phone inquired.  
  
"She's asleep at the moment, Pete. Have you talked to her in the last couple of days?" Jack asked.  
  
"I've been away on a case. She left me a message two days ago to call her. This is the first chance I've had. Is everything ok?" Pete asked in concern.  
  
"She took a really nasty tumble out in the field four days ago. She has several broken bones all in her left foot, ankle and leg. She'll be fine eventually, but she's going to be out of commission for a bit," Jack informed him.  
  
"God, I keep telling her that job is too dangerous. I'm constantly expecting to get a call that she's been killed in action. Especially after her friend was shot and killed," Pete complained.  
  
Jack bit back a retort about Carter's job being her own business. Sam was going to need all of the support she could get and having her boyfriend and CO fighting wouldn't do her any good.  
  
"Well, she's probably going to be out of it from the painkillers for a couple of days, but after that she's going to be bored out of her head, so I'm sure she would appreciate some company," Jack graciously suggested.   
  
"That works out well. I need to wrap up this case but I should be done tomorrow or the next day at the latest. Tell her I'll call back and let her know when I'll be down. Hopefully I can make it a long weekend," Pete remarked.  
  
"Great," Jack replied with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. "I'll tell her."  
  
Actually, Pete's arrival on Friday morning was well timed. Sam was taking less of the painkillers and so becoming more alert and mobile, and SG1 had just been paged back to the base. SG6 had managed to anger some natives and a show of force was needed to get them safely home. Daniel stayed behind just long enough to give Pete a list of instructions and to tell him they would call as soon as they got back.   
  
They spent a quiet day together. Sam slept a good part of the afternoon, waking up when Cassie arrived home, and staying awake through dinner, and seeing the teen off for the evening with strict instructions to be home by 01:00. Pete made sure she ate, and kept her amused after Cassie left with stories of some of the bizarre characters he had come across over the years as a detective. He eventually sent her to bed with a promise that he would make sure Cassie was home safely before he crashed on the couch.   
  
Saturday started out in the same manner. Sam was glad to see that Cassie seemed to get along with Pete, and they spent a couple of pleasant hours together. Finally Cass left to go to the mall with friends and Sam and Pete were left alone. He couldn't help but notice that she was checking the clock more and more frequently as the day wore on.   
  
"They'll be fine," he finally assured her.  
  
"They should have been back by now. It's been twenty-nine hours," she worried. Then with a sigh she confessed, "I really hate it when they go out without me."   
  
"Now you know how I feel," Pete confessed. "Since I've known you you've been seriously injured twice and lost your best friend. Every time I don't hear from you for a couple of days I expect to get a call saying that you're missing or dead."  
  
"That's my life Pete," she stated bluntly.   
  
"But it's insane. How much longer do you plan on putting your life on the line day-in and day-out?" he asked.   
  
"Until I don't have to or I can't anymore," she asserted firmly.   
  
"Why? You could confine your work to the lab and go out on scientific missions. Why do you have to be in the thick of the battle?" Pete questioned her.  
  
"Because I'm damn good at what I do. And believe me, if the four of us hadn't been out there in the thick of it for the last seven years Earth as you know it would be history!" Sam shouted in frustration and anger.  
  
Pete was stunned into silence for just a minute. "Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration, isn't it?" he finally asked trying to get Sam to see the absurdity of her statement.   
  
Sam just sighed. She didn't have clearance to tell him about any missions so she settled with looking him the eyes and saying sadly, "No, it's not."   
  
Pete didn't know what to think, but he really couldn't wrap his head around the fact that the planet was in danger, so he chose to believe she was being overly melodramatic.  
  
"Sorry Sam. Didn't notice the capes you four keep hidden away. I'll try to remember that I'm dating a superhero. It will be such a comfort on those nights when you're off saving the universe and I'm home alone," he declared waving his arms around dramatically.  
  
Sam watched him with a heavy heart. She really didn't need this right now. She needed him to be supportive and funny and caring. She was too tired mentally and physically to deal with anything else. Besides if that was how he really felt there wasn't much hope for their relationship anyway. She was saved from saying anything in return by the ringing of the phone, which she reached out to answer gratefully, only realizing as she brought it to her ear that her hands were shaking.  
  
"Carter," she answered unknowingly holding her breath.  
  
"Hey, Sam. Just wanted to let you know we are back all in one piece," Daniel's reported.  
  
Sam let out the breath that she was holding. "Great. Can you guys come over tonight? I want to hear all about it," Sam requested.  
  
"Um, what about Pete?" Daniel asked, knowing they couldn't discuss a mission in his presence.  
  
"Pete has to go home," Sam assured him staring defiantly at the man standing next to her who was looking confused.  
  
"Ok, we'll bring dinner," Daniel confirmed.  
  
Sam set down the receiver and turned to Pete with a sigh.   
  
"See I told you they would be fine. And what's this about me leaving? I was planning on staying through the weekend," he protested.  
  
"Pete, I think you should go. You've spent the last ten minutes railing against what I do, and frankly if I was healthy I probably would have kicked you physically out on your ass. You obviously have issues with my not being here at your beck and call, waiting for you to come home from a hard day at the office. I am never going to be that kind of woman, or have that type of relationship," she explained.  
  
"Sam I honestly don't want that either. That type of woman would bore me to tears. What I object to is the constant danger you subject yourself to. It tears me apart," Pete admitted sadly.  
  
"So what do you want me to do quit?" Sam asked indignantly.   
  
"No… Yes… I don't know," Pete shrugged in confusion.  
  
"Well, I *know* I don't want to, so you have some thinking to do," Sam chastised gently. "Go home, and when you have a better idea of what you want give me a call. I won't be going anywhere for a while," she stated sarcastically.  
  
Pete loaded the overnight bag he had brought into his car and the instant Cassie got back he left. Sam spent the couple of hours before her teammates showed up thinking about what had occurred and came to the conclusion that it was probably over between them. She couldn't see any logic in trying to hold together a relationship with someone who resented a large part of who she was, and she certainly wasn't going to consider giving up SG1 for him.  
  
The sad truth was that she might not have a choice in the matter, and despite her determination she knew that Pete might get his wish. However she also was honest enough to admit (especially after regaining consciousness in the embrace of her CO almost a week ago) that if she was forced to give up her commission it wouldn't be Pete Shanahan's arms she would be running into.   
  
End Week 1 


	3. Week Two: Finding Your Balance

Thanks for all of the great feedback! (Not to mention the creative ideas for getting rid of Pete!) This part is a bit shorter, but promise a bit more in the next two parts!  
  
Note: Rating was supposed to be PG-13 so I've fixed that.  
  
  
  
Title: "Eight Weeks Series – Week two: Finding Your Balance (1/1)"  
  
Author: Jackie W.   
  
Email: jackiesfic@aol.com  
  
Spoilers: Death Knell, Heroes II, Chimera  
  
  
  
Sam's dreams of the next several few nights were filled with memories of the people she missed in her life, Janet, her father, and her mother. Surprisingly, she did not dream of Pete, and she was unsure what to make of that. Though not unpleasant, the nighttime visions still left her unsettled and feeling a bit lost and lonely. On Sunday she gladly surrounded herself with the easy camaraderie and friendly bickering of her teammates and Cassie to keep the sadness at bay. On Monday she was carted back into the SGC for a checkup, and spent the day sprawled on an infirmary bed with her laptop writing up her mission report for that disastrous last trip, and catching up on her e-mails. She had a lot of visitors and was actually glad when Teal'c came by to get her and take her via wheelchair back up to where the Colonel had his truck waiting.   
  
On Tuesday it was time for her to suck it up and spend some time alone. Teal'c had spent the night and the Colonel had stopped by in the morning to get him and take him back to base. Sam had been ordered to stay home for another week, although she had been granted her laptop so she could get a bit caught up. After they got Cass off to school and made sure Sam was settled comfortably with her phone and crutches within easy reach, the house was suddenly quiet. At first she was relieved. After a bit though she was reaching for the remote and turning on the CD player to break the silence. It was going to be a very long day.  
  
  
  
The rest of the week fell into a pattern. Sam was on her own from after breakfast until Cassie arrived home from school. At dinner time the male members of SG1 would show up with take out, and at first one of them would stay overnight on the couch, and then the next day would make sure that Sam was safely settled before departing for the base. The three men were on light duty while Hammond worked out what he was going to do for the duration. To everyone's surprise the General also used the fact that his 2IC was around to take a few days off.   
  
Sam tried, but she was unable to throw off the slight melancholy that had she had fallen into. Cassie had interrogated her after Pete had left the previous Saturday and knew that they had broken up, so everyone attributed her listless air to her broken romance. In truth, that was quite far down on the list of items causing her blues. At the top of the list was a profound grief that she still hadn't worked through over Janet's death. She missed her friend every day.   
  
Second on the list was concern for her father. Although it had only been a month since she'd seen him, somehow this separation seemed so much worse than normal. She couldn't shake the feeling that it was going to be a very long time before she saw him again, and that when she did they would need to rebuild their relationship one more time.   
  
And finally there was the uncertainty over her recovery and the future of her career. She was surprised to find that she was less concerned about that than she was, but somehow there was a feeling of inevitable change in the air. The cliche did say that all things come in threes. Did her breakup with Pete count as the third change or was there one more major upheaval headed her way?   
  
As her strength returned and her mobility improved so did her mood. She was glad when the weekend arrived and the house was once again filled with the racket of her adopted family. She'd had enough thinking, and concentrated on letting the presence of four people she loved sooth her weary heart. By Sunday afternoon she really felt like she was back to normal, or whatever qualified as normal for her. She wasn't surprised when Daniel cornered her to comment on her mood.  
  
"You seem a lot happier. Did you make up with Pete?" he gently interrogated.   
  
"No. Pete wasn't really the problem in the first place," Sam said with a shrug.  
  
"You seemed pretty depressed. We just assumed you were upset over Pete and we wanted to give you some space. But if you are having other problems you can always talk to us Sam. You know that right?" he assured her.  
  
"Not much you can do, Daniel, but thanks anyway," Sam replied gratefully. "I'll be fine once I get back to work."  
  
"Ok, but burying yourself in your lab is not a solution," he advised.  
  
Sam's good mood was starting to evaporate. "I'm surprised to hear you acknowledge that, seeing as you are such a devout practitioner of the practice Dr. Jackson," she retorted raising her voice enough that the others standing talking discretely in the kitchen all swiveled towards her.   
  
She took a breath and let it out slowly, closing her eyes. When she felt calm she opened them with a sigh and apologized. "Daniel, I'm sorry. I'm just a bit cranky from being cooped up for two weeks without much to do. And as much as I love the science part of my job I'm not looking forward to sitting there and worrying while you all go off-world without me for the next several months," she confessed.  
  
Silently she added 'or more' and wondered how she was going to stand it if that was the case. Then she caught O'Neill's eyes and saw similar thoughts race across them before he took a breath and strove to break the gloom that had settled over him at the thought of loosing Sam for good from SG1.  
  
"We'll be good, Mom. We promise. No arguing or getting captured," he teased.  
  
Sam smirked at that. "Care to wager on it Colonel?"  
  
"Ok. $50 bucks says we can go the whole time you're laid up without getting ourselves hurt or into trouble," Jack bravely wagered.  
  
"You are on. I'll be happy to pay up if you three all manage to stay safe. Somehow, though, I have a feeling this is going to be the easiest money I've ever made," Sam agreed, with a shake of her head.  
  
Later as Daniel and Teal'c headed out, Jack purposefully held back by offering to take the garbage out. Once that task was done he turned to Sam, glad to see that Cassie had made herself scarce. He'd assumed like everyone else that Sam's unnatural quiet of the past week was the result of her nursing a broken heart. When she'd lashed out at Daniel he'd realized the truth and now was kicking himself for being so dense. He was crap at doing the cheering up thing if he couldn't make a joke, and was regretting not giving the task to Daniel or Teal'c. Now he struggled to find something to say that wouldn't sound trite.  
  
"It *will* all work out in the end, Carter," he finally commented confidently.  
  
Her eyes flew to his in surprise that he had so accurately read her thoughts. She nodded, not trusting her voice, eternally grateful that he hadn't told her everything 'would be fine'.   
  
"Who knows? I might even get you on that fishing trip while you're laid up," he quipped.  
  
"Threatening me is not going to make me heal faster, Sir," she replied with a small smile.   
  
"Threatening? You know you really want to come with me, Carter," he argued. "Imagine it, sitting on the dock sipping a cold one, soaking up the sun while you wait to catch a nice big fish."  
  
Suddenly she was imagining it, and she realized what he was saying. If the worst happened and she was medically discharged, there was something else to look forward to, something they'd been waiting for since that first fishing invitation almost four years ago   
  
"Sounds like heaven, Sir," she acknowledged.  
  
"Yes it does, Major," he agreed. For a moment their eyes locked and he had to forcefully tear his gaze from hers. "So I'll pick you up in the morning and drive you to base. Say 07:30?" he verified.  
  
"Sure, see you then," Sam confirmed.   
  
As she closed the door behind him she breathed a sigh of relief. She felt like the weight of the world had just lifted from her shoulders. Only time would tell if she would rejoin SG1 or not. She had to admit she was no longer sure which outcome she was hoping for.   
  
End Week 2 


	4. Week Three: Baby Steps

Title: "Eight Weeks Series – Week Three: Baby Steps (1/1)"  
  
Author: Jackie W.   
  
Email: jackiesfic@aol.com  
  
Spoilers: Learning Curve  
  
Summary: A group of new recruits learn the ropes as Sam learns to cope without SG1 (Or is it the other way around?)  
  
  
  
'This is all Carter's fault,' Jack fumed and then felt instantly guilty for blaming his 2IC. She certainly hadn't asked to be swept away by a mudslide and laid up for months. Still, he was in a foul mood after his meeting with Hammond and it all came down to the current and future status of one Major Samantha Carter.   
  
Hammond's first bit of news has been that it was unlikely that Carter would be coming back to SG1. Her name was currently on a short list of officer's to be fast-tracked, meaning a promotion to Lt. Colonel as soon as the proper approvals had been obtained, and another to Colonel two years later assuming she met performance expectations. Which she would of course. There had been some discussion regarding taking her name off the list until her medical status was resolved. Hammond, however, had pointed out that not only was this was the perfect opportunity for SG1 to try out replacements, but that if, God forbid, Carter was discharged for medical reasons, she still deserved to be recognized for the incredible work she had done in the last several years and go out with the higher rank.   
  
So it was 90% certain she was no longer going to be his 2IC. There was a large part of him already making plans for that day. The more sensible side was trying (and failing miserably) to squash any hopes in that direction. Fate and the U.S.A.F. had an uncanny knack for ruining any long-term plans he ever tried to make. Besides, although things had been looking up in the last few weeks, he still wasn't totally sure of where she stood on the whole issue of a non-working relationship between them.   
  
As upset as he was with the thought of having to replace Carter, (or rather having to find a new fourth for SG1 since no one could replace her) his irritation was currently more directed at his latest assignment. With Carter grounded, Hammond had decided to shuffle the mission schedule until they could come up with a short list of candidates for SG1's new member. They had been scheduled to be going out to inspect some promising ruins that might provide some clues to the whereabouts of the 'Lost City'. Instead Hammond had decided to send Daniel out with SG2 on that mission. Since SG2 had originally been due to spend a week breaking in some new recruits, he and Teal'c got to baby-sit the youngsters. Crap.   
  
The only good thing was that they would only need to be taking the kids off-world for a day, so they wouldn't all be abandoning Carter to her own devices for any length of time yet. He had a feeling she needed a bit of breathing room before that happened. Truth was, so did he. Once SG1 was sent off with a new member in tow instead of Carter, he had a feeling he was going to go almost as crazy as she would.   
  
He checked his watch and saw that he had an hour before he had to meet up with the recruits as they were currently busy up at security getting all of the pesky non-disclosures signed, and badges made. He'd already informed Teal'c of the change and had been surprised to see the man actually grimace before his normal stoic mask fell back into place. Feeling the big guy's pain he'd relented and told him he only needed to make an appearance today, but tomorrow would be needed to put the rookies through their paces with the zats and staff weapons before they were allowed off-world. Today he would sic Carter on them and put them through Wormhole theory 101. Poor smucks. Too bad Daniel had already left. He could have had his friend torture them with a rundown of the Ancient Egyptian Gods' family tree. Maybe while Carter had them enthralled with technobabble he'd check to see if anyone else from the 'Rocks and Dead Language' department was available.   
  
Two hours later he was ready to throw himself down a hillside so he could join Carter in the gimp ward. Anything to get him away from the painfully naïve faces that were following him around as he lead them on a tour of the SGC. He was old enough to be any of their fathers he realized with a grimace. He'd led the four wide-eyed young men from the briefing room to the control room, and then since Carter was tied up with some minor dialing glitches that had occurred while she was off, he'd had Teal'c take them to the armory. After they were done there, he'd relieved his teammate as promised and showed the recruits some of the other areas they needed to be able to find. The infirmary had gotten a quick walk-thru, as well as security and a couple of the labs. Now he was headed for Carter's home away from home to introduce her and hopefully lure her to the commissary with him so he didn't have to spend lunch alone with the four.   
  
As he'd hoped, she was there, leg propped up and surrounded by pillows. He raised his eyebrows at the sight. Someone had definitely raided the VIP rooms. He couldn't resist commenting.  
  
"Comfy Major?" he inquired.  
  
She didn't even blink an eye. "Yes, Sir. Thank you," she remarked with a small smile that she extended to the four men behind him as she noticed their presence.   
  
Jack made the formal introductions, watching as each of the four fell under Carter's spell. He couldn't even be jealous, as Carter was totally unaware of her impact. He didn't see her falling for any of these wet behind the ears youngters anyway. Thank heavens she tended to prefer more mature men. It was at least one thing he had going for him. As it was he was able to amuse himself by watching the four fall all over each other assisting Carter with her crutches, files and pillows after she agreed to come to lunch with them. He rolled his eyes when they met hers and delighted in the way her lips twitched as she tried to hide her own amusement. All of his good intentions to keep a lid on his hopes for a future went out the window, and he suddenly knew that the instant Hammond announced Sam's promotion and she was no longer under his command he would be knocking on her door.   
  
Lunch turned out to be less painful than he'd feared. He and Carter had spent the time learning about the backgrounds of each of the four young officers, and then he had left them in the briefing room with the Major and her slide show. They had emerged two hours later looking dazed and O'Neill had decided they could do with some exercise to clear their heads. He'd scheduled time for them to spend with one of Daniel's co-workers in the morning, so he spent that rest of the afternoon running them through maneuvers to test their skills.   
  
Despite his griping to Hammond, Jack thoroughly enjoyed the next two days. He divided his time between scaring the crap out of the newbies, and bothering Carter in her lab. All in all a very satisfying couple of days work. On Thursday he and Teal'c prepared to take the recruits through the gate. While the four young officers changed into their gear in the main shared locker room, the two member of SG1 headed for their private domain. They weren't surprised to see that Sam was waiting for them in there. As the two men geared up she watched them with barely disguised envy.   
  
"Relax, Carter. We'll only be gone for eight hours, and then we'll be back safe and sound and you can pay me the $50 you'll owe me," Jack assured her.  
  
"I believe the bet was that you all had to remain safe the entire time I was out of commission," Sam reminded him.  
  
"Oh, right. I still should get a reward for bringing the kids home in one piece. How about I get to pick out what's for dinner tonight?" he suggested.  
  
Since he was driving her back and forth each day they had fallen into the routine of stopping on the way home for food. Usually Sam picked the cuisine and the Colonel insisted on paying. She considered his proposal now in amusement.  
  
"Sir, you are taking the recruits to Orban. If I know you you'll spend all your time playing with the kids. Even you couldn't get in trouble there!" Sam protested.   
  
"You're just jealous because you can't go along and play with the scientists. How about if I promise to bring you back something fun to play with?" he teased.   
  
"I believe that is the whole purpose of the mission, O'Neill. General Hammond stated in the briefing that we have been offered a prototype of a shield generator that the Orbanian scientists have been working on," Teal'c commented.   
  
"Way to ruin my gesture, T," Jack groaned.   
  
Sam snorted and tried to hide her laughter by turning towards the door, but not before O'Neill had seen the grin. Score. It had taken three weeks, but Sam was smiling again. If nothing else, he was determined to help her rise above the depression he knew she had fallen into, and keep her from thinking about her uncertain future. With any luck this new toy would keep her mind occupied for several weeks.   
  
As they walked slowly towards the Gateroom he continued his previous proposal. "So? Can I pick out dinner? I have a taste for Cajun," he suggested.   
  
Sam sighed. She wasn't a fussy eater, but Cajun wasn't one of her favorites. She knew the Colonel loved it though, and he hadn't whined all week about carting her around, so she figured it was the least she could do to make it up to him.  
  
"Sure. You all come home safe and on time and we can order Cajun food tonight," she relented graciously as they met up with the recruits just outside the blast doors, failing to notice their eyes widen slightly at her statement. Jack did however and decided he had better nip the gossiping in bud.  
  
"T, you going to join us tonight? You can stay in my spare room after we drop off her highness and get her settled for the night," he quipped.   
  
"I would enjoy that O'Neill," he responded even as Sam protested at her CO's choice of words.   
  
As the guards handed them their weapons and O'Neill double checked each of his charges to make sure they were all put together correctly, Sam hobbled over to a spot in front of the ramp where she was out of the way, but would be able to see them depart. She enjoyed the shocked faces of the four recruits as the wormhole formed, and the slight hesitation in their steps as they followed Teal'c through. Then with a quick backward glance and wink to her accompanied by a sloppy salute to Hammond in the Control room, O'Neill followed them through to Orban.   
  
Sam waited for the SF's to clear out before she started to slowly make her way back to her lab. Up above Hammond watched her leave with a sigh. He hadn't missed the sudden slump of her shoulders once she thought she was safe from prying eyes.   
  
  
  
Jack O'Neill groaned as he regained consciousness and instantly was confronted by four very worried faces, and one Jaffa who looked… well like he always looked.   
  
"O'Neill, it is good to see you awake," Teal'c greeted calmly.  
  
"What the hell happened?" Jack groaned. "I feel like I've gone several rounds in the ring!"  
  
"You got knocked out, Sir. You were nailed by a line drive hit by one of the kids," Lt. Ash reported.   
  
"Yeah, I remember. Little kid. Jonin. Swings like Sosa. Gonna send the Cubs to recruit him in a few years," Jack commented eyes closed as he tried to get his head to stop spinning.   
  
"Are you alright Colonel?" one of the other recruits inquired. It was too much of an effort for Jack to open his eyes to figure out which one.   
  
"Yeah, but I don't suppose there is any way we can keep this out of the official report is there?" he responded.  
  
"I fear not, O'Neill. You are going to have what I believe you call a 'shiner'," Teal'c noted.  
  
"Damn," Jack swore softly, conscious now of the kids standing just a few feet away, unnaturally quiet. "Give me a hand up T."   
  
Once on his feet, Jack took a second to be sure he was not in any danger of falling over and then scanned the crowd of anxious kids looking for Jonin. He then strode over to him and slapped him on the back.   
  
"Nice hit, kiddo," he told him with a grin.  
  
Jonin raised worried eyes to Jack's. "I'm sorry Colonel Jack. I didn't mean to hurt you," he whispered.  
  
"Not your fault Jonin. I'm out of practice. I should have got my mitt up. Next time I'll catch it and get you out," he assured the child.  
  
"Next time I'll hit it over your head," Jonin vowed.  
  
"I bet you will. You've got a great swing. You should be hitting homeruns easily the next time I see you," Jack declared, earning him a bright grin from the boy.   
  
The baseball game having been brought to an abrupt halt, the majority of the kids wandered off to play other games after seeing that the Colonel was ok. Jonin walked back towards the science hall where a medic was waiting having been alerted that one of their visitors had been injured. After insuring herself that he didn't have a concussion, and applying an ointment to the area that was refreshingly cool and was supposed to prevent swelling, she left the men to talk to the scientists who had the shield generator for them.   
  
The Orbanians had been very disappointed when they had learned that Carter hadn't made the trip, and were sorry to hear she had been injured. They tried to explain how the prototype worked but were met with six blank sets of eyes. Instead they pressed volumes of specifications into the hands of the men, and told them to have Major Carter contact them with any questions.   
  
Having already spent time with Merrin when they first arrived, Jack took just a second to say goodbye to the girl before he and the rest of the team left. He marveled at the young woman in front of him. Not unsurprisingly, Merrin had been the poster child for the new schooling developed for the Urrone children after they went through the Averium. In four short years she had not only re-learned how to read and write, but had picked up the basics of complex physics that she had previously spouted with ease, and was working as an apprentice in the labs. Jack had no doubt that in another ten years she would be giving Carter a run for her money once again.   
  
They arrived back at the SGC half an hour early, and Jack steeled himself for the inevitable comments. Jonin's line drive had hit him right in the cheekbone and already the black eye was very noticeable. At least the swelling had been kept to a minimum thanks to the wonder ointment the medic had applied. Jack hoped to redeem himself slightly be giving a sample of the medicine to the Doc's here to study. As expected Hammond had quizzed the Colonel immediately. After being assured that it was just a bruise, Hammond had ordered them all to the infirmary, and then to debrief. They had barely made it through the blast doors when they met up with Carter hobbling to greet them. She stopped in her tracks at the sight of CO.   
  
He saw concern and amusement pass in quick succession through her eyes. With a sigh he pointed to the field generator and specs the recruits were carrying.   
  
"We brought you a new toy," he offered hoping to distract her.   
  
"Sir?" she quizzed still looking him over for any other signs of injury.   
  
"Oh, hell, Carter. Double or nothing?" he suggested.   
  
  
  
End Week 3 


	5. Week Four: One Small Step for Man

Author's Note: Thanks for all the great feedback.. just wanted to warn you that the next part will actually take a week or more to post as I will be mostly without a computer while I am traveling. Sorry for the delay, but I'll be letting muse out to play while I'm gone so who knows what she'll come up with!   
  
  
  
Title: "Eight Weeks Series – Week Four: One Small Step for Man (1/1)"  
  
Author: Jackie W.   
  
Email: jackiesfic@aol.com  
  
Season: Season 7, immediately after Resurrection   
  
Spoilers: None  
  
  
  
Lt. Colonel James Spencer had flown fighters in the Gulf War in 1991, piloted spy planes over China in the mid 1990's and led dozens of Special Ops missions in the last 6 years, including several searching for Saddam Hussein just a few short months ago. Nothing in his top-secret past had prepared him for his latest assignment to Cheyenne Mountain. He had just completed a meeting with his new CO, General Hammond, who had given him an overview of the Stargate project, and the ongoing war with the Goa'uld. He was now sitting in a briefing room wondering if this was an elaborate hoax, or if the General had simply lost his mind.   
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of voices in the hallway. A moment later four people entered the room, still arguing in a friendly fashion. They stopped abruptly on seeing a strange face in the room. He barely had a chance to register anything about the group when Hammond entered from his office, and he jumped to his feet at attention.   
  
"At ease. Lt. Colonel James Spencer, Colonel Jack O'Neill, Major Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and Teal'c," Hammond efficiently made the introductions.  
  
He had a chance to study each of them as they busied themselves getting settled. Teal'c would have been intimidating in most circumstances, but the gentleness he displayed as he helped Major Carter get seated, and took her crutches from her were in stark contrast to the obvious strength of the man. Dr. Jackson meanwhile had pulled up another chair and dropped the pillow he carried onto it so the injured Major could prop up her leg. He was the one that then offered a hand across the table in greeting to James before he turned to the coffeepot, and began pouring for himself and Colonel and Major who had both signaled they wanted a cup. The Colonel plopped down a load of files he was carrying in front of the Major with an exaggerated sigh.  
  
"Sorry we were late, Sir. It takes an incredibly long time to get the Major mobile," the Colonel quipped, earning him a glare from the Major and raised eyebrows from Dr. Jackson, Teal'c and the General. Their reactions seemed to amuse the Colonel. "What? I'm just being honest! You'd think she'd never had a broken leg before."  
  
"Actually, Sir. I haven't," the Major responded innocently, which caused O'Neill to look guilty, which in turn caused the Major to smile.  
  
James had a feeling he was witnessing an often repeated battle of wits, and that the Major won more rounds than she lost. Looking at the Major as she grinned, he suddenly understood why. He suspected that if he were to be on the receiving end of that smile too often he'd cave and give her whatever she wanted. He sent up a quick prayer that this woman wasn't going to be on his team.   
  
"Let's get down to business people," Hammond ordered causing everyone in the room to suddenly settle into silence. "Lt. Colonel Spencer is going to be taking command of SG8 now that Major Klein has transferred to Wright/Patterson."  
  
The group nodded solemnly. Steven Klein's wife had died in childbirth, leaving him the single father of a newborn baby girl. With no family in the area, he had requested and been granted reassignment to a training post at Wright/Patterson where he would have a steady schedule. As an added bonus his wife's family lived in Ohio, and would be able to lend a hand.   
  
"However, his team is on leave until next Monday since Captain Grainger has the flu, and rather than recall the others, I thought the Lt. Colonel could spend a few days with SG1. There is some equipment that is needed at the new Alpha site that you could deliver. That would give the Lt. Colonel some gate experience before leading his team through, and Colonel, you could give me a status on how you think the new site is progressing," Hammond briefed them. "Colonel, I expect you and your team to help get him familiar with procedures and the basics of what goes on here."  
  
"Understood, Sir," Jack replied. It was still babysitting, but at least it wasn't a bunch of kids. And he was really itching to get a look at how the new alpha site was doing.  
  
"SG4 is due back anytime now, so perhaps you can start by giving the Lt. Colonel an idea of how the Stargate works," Hammond suggested, rising and walking over to the window overlooking the Gateroom.   
  
The blast door was down, so he hit the button to raise it up. He stood there as Spencer joined him and allowed himself to look at it through the eyes of someone seeing it for the first time. It truly was magnificent and he could tell that the Lt. Colonel agreed by the sudden intake of air he heard from beside him and the soft whistle of appreciation.   
  
"I'll let SG1 take over from here," he commented and retreated to his office as he heard Dr. Jackson begin to explain the symbols on the gate.   
  
Soon after, SG4 returned and Spencer got to see the event horizon form. Once SG4 had walked through and the wormhole had snapped shut behind them, Sam began to explain the basics of how the gate worked. Spencer was mesmerized, not just by the physics, but by the woman explaining it to him. Daniel then explained the history of the gates, and after that they broke for lunch. By the end of the meal it was obvious to the three male members of SG1 that Sam had a new admirer. Daniel wasn't surprised when Jack suggested that he and Teal'c would give the Lt. Colonel a tour so that Daniel and Sam could go back to their labs and work. He figured Jack wanted to get the man away from Sam as fast as possible.  
  
Daniel couldn't resist sounding out Sam as he escorted her back to her lab.   
  
"So what did you think of Spencer?" he quizzed hoping she would think it was an innocent question.  
  
"He seems sharp. Asked a lot of good questions. I just hope he's going to get over the…" Sam trailed off obviously embarrassed.   
  
"The crush he's obviously formed?" Daniel teased gently.   
  
Sam nodded. "That's the last thing I need to deal with right now."   
  
Daniel paused not wanting to push, but knowing that with Janet gone Sam really had no one to talk to about any man troubles she was having. They had reached her lab, so he followed her in and shut the door behind him.  
  
"How are things with Pete?" he asked cautiously.  
  
"Over. He's called a couple of times, but I finally told him to stop. It was great while it lasted, but it's time to move on. I didn't want him to hold out any hope, especially since I already knew the relationship wasn't going any further than what we had."   
  
"Which was?" Daniel probed.   
  
"Fun, Daniel. We had fun. I liked him and he made me laugh, but it was never that serious on my part. I was hoping it would be, but it just didn't happen," Sam admitted.   
  
"Why do you think that is, Sam" Daniel inquired.  
  
"Why do *you* think, Daniel?" Sam replied sarcastically.   
  
"Just checking," Daniel said, raising his hands in defense. "So you're not interested in just having fun with the Lt. Colonel?"  
  
"Gosh, no!" Sam exclaimed. "I think that would be a great recipe for disaster."  
  
"So I can tell Jack he can stop shooting daggers at the poor man?" Daniel switched back to teasing mode.  
  
Sam paused. It had been on the tip of her tongue to say yes, but frankly she had enjoyed the fact that the Colonel had appeared to be jealous. He'd stayed so closed up through most of the time she'd been dating Pete she had started to think he didn't care anymore.   
  
"Sam? You have a very evil grin on your face," Daniel cautioned.  
  
"If it looks like things are getting out of hand you can tell him not to worry, Daniel," Sam relented.  
  
"Otherwise?" Daniel inquired.   
  
"A girl's got to have *some* fun, Daniel, and I promise not to lead on the Lt. Colonel or anything," Sam explained.   
  
"I hope you know what you're doing." Daniel warned as he opened the door and left her to work.  
  
"Me too, Daniel," Sam whispered.   
  
  
  
Just as she had promised, Sam did nothing over the next day and a half to encourage the attentions of the newest SG leader, but that didn't stop him from being intrigued by the Major. While she played the perfect officer, he tried to break through the reserve. He practically ordered her to call him James or 'Spence', but she continued to 'Yes Sir' him to death much to Jack's relief. By the time they headed to the Alpha site on Wednesday, the Lt. Colonel was very frustrated and O'Neill was starting to find the humor in the situation. Especially since Sam had come to the locker room again to be with them as they geared up and Spencer had been embarrassed to have her see him only half dressed. Sam hadn't even batted an eye, having seen her teammates each in various states of undress before, and she chatted away as they finished putting on boots and vests, hats, holsters and sunglasses.   
  
Sam for her part wouldn't have missed the locker room routine for anything. Truth be told, it was her favorite part of the mission. She worked with three gorgeous men and although on the outside she never let them know she was enjoying herself, she always secretly enjoyed the view. Today was no exception, and she had the added bonus of not having to fuss to get ready herself so she could just stand propped up in the corner and watch muscles flex and rears bend as they laced their boots. And because she was in a bit of a perverse mood, she even let her eyes linger on the one person she usually tried not to concentrate on. Damn, she'd almost forgotten what great shape the man was in.   
  
Of course he caught her looking, his eyes clashing with her and widening a bit as he realized what she'd been up to. Before the moment could become awkward, she reminded him, "Don't forget to take care of yourselves. The bet's up to $100 now, Sir."  
  
"Yeah sure, Carter. I have plans for that money," he assured her, and several minutes later they were gone, and she was on her own for two whole days.   
  
  
  
At the Alpha site the group spent a busy couple of hours. Daniel and Teal'c helped unload and store the equipment and supplies they had delivered, while Spencer tagged along with O'Neill as he was given a tour of the updates made since his last visit immediately after the site had been established. Lunch was eaten on the run, and it wasn't until that evening at dinner that the four met up again. As expected, the Lt. Colonel had a lot of questions. O'Neill was actually impressed as the man had obviously been paying attention over the last few days, and was learning quickly. Then the subject sifted to their missing member.   
  
"So how did she break her leg?" Spencer asked.   
  
"She was swept off the trail we were taking by a mudslide a couple of missions ago," Daniel explained. "She was lucky. If the tree she hit hadn't stopped her I don't think she would have survived."  
  
"If she hadn't grabbed the tree you mean," O'Neill corrected. When Daniel looked at him he realized that they hadn't seen the position Sam was in when he got to her. "She continued past the tree after she hit it Daniel, she just thought fast enough to grab onto it."  
  
"So her leg snapped and she still had enough sense to grab the limb?" Spencer asked in amazement.  
  
"Major Carter is a formidable warrior," Teal'c stated simply, as if that was explanation enough.  
  
"She is that, T," Jack agreed. "She stayed conscious until I got down and secured her too. Even asked permission before she passed out," he admitted remembering the moment now with amusement.  
  
"Yeah, what is with that? She sure takes the rules and regs to the extreme," Spencer commented.   
  
"Well, her father is a retired AirForce General," Daniel told him.  
  
"That's only part of it, Daniel. Carter *has* to be careful because everyone is always waiting for her to make a mistake. It's a sad fact, but there are still a lot of people in the military who don't think women should be in the field, especially in command positions. Each promotion she gets is that much more visibility and pressure on her. Now put her in a post on a flagship team of a top secret command and make her save the world on a daily basis, where even the President is watching her. She has no choice but to walk the line," Jack explained. "We're lucky, she's knows she can trust us so we get to see the real Carter occasionally. The one that loves an adrenaline rush, has a wicked sense of humor, gets really excited over naquada generators and has a heart as big as our solar system. To everyone else, she has to be the perfect Major all the time."  
  
Daniel was surprised at the outburst. In the back of his mind he realized all of that, but Sam never complained about it, so he tended to forget how hard she'd had to work to get where she was today. More surprising though was to hear Jack O'Neill acknowledge it. Spencer and Teal'c for their part were nodding in understanding. Teal'c had always been impressed by the way his teammate could be a brother in arms, standing shoulder to shoulder with the best warriors he'd ever known, and yet still not loose the attributes that made her such an interesting woman. Spencer had been somewhat thrown by her formal treatment of him, but what O'Neill said made sense. Maybe there was still hope for him to break through her reserve.   
  
"So is she single? Or seeing anybody?" he asked, his interest now revived.   
  
There was a pause. Luckily he missed the glances that Daniel and Teal'c threw Jack's way or his curiosity would really have been peaked.   
  
"Um, single, and no." Daniel answered. Seeing Jack's attention was now on him, he continued. "She broke up a few weeks ago with a guy she was seeing. The relationship had reached the point where he was more serious about it than her," he informed them, and watched as relief flitted across Jack's face.   
  
He was happy to put his friend's mind to rest on that score. Of course there was still the matter of Spencer's interest in Sam to contend with. Despite Sam's request he decided to give Jack a heads up. Later as they were parting for the evening at their quarters, he managed to get Jack alone for a minute.  
  
"She's not interested," he commented cryptically.   
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Daniel," Jack stated wearily.  
  
"She's not interested in Spencer, but she didn't want me to tell you because she liked it that you were jealous," Daniel confessed. "And it's definitely over with Pete, most likely because of her feelings for you if you ask me," he added.   
  
"Which I didn't," Jack pointed out.   
  
"No, you didn't, so I'll butt out now. Good night Jack," Daniel said stepping into his quarters with a sigh. He certainly didn't envy his friends for the careful line they had to tread.  
  
Meanwhile back across the corridor, Jack couldn't help the small ray of hope that was forming in his heart.   
  
  
  
End week 4 


	6. Week Five: One Giant Leap

Title: "Eight Weeks Series – Week Five: One Giant Leap"  
  
Author: Jackie W.   
  
Email: jackiesfic@aol.com  
  
Spoilers: Inauguration  
  
Summary: They've waited so long they're not sure how to react.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He spent several hours finding the small silver oak clusters. After all it had been eleven years since he'd worn them. Then another two were spent happily cleaning and polishing them until they looked almost new. He wasn't sure he would even offer them to her, but the time spent on the tasks had kept his mind off of other things. Like the great big looming fact that after tomorrow Dr. Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter would most likely not be under his command anymore. The thought terrified him on many levels.   
  
First there was the thought that he, Daniel and Teal'c would have to continue on without her. He had no doubt in his mind that the three of them would annoy each other to death without her calming presence to keep the testosterone from getting out of control. He wondered if they should look for another female as a fourth for that very reason. Problem was, he couldn't for the life of him think of any other woman in the universe who would be able to put up with the male members of SG1 for any extended period of time.  
  
Then there was the thought of her going out there without the three of them to back her up. She'd done it before, but the last couple of times she'd done so they had almost lost her. He wondered if Hammond would let him hand pick her new team to be sure she got the very best to watch her back.   
  
He was trying to totally ignore the other point that was threatening to tie his stomach in knots. He was almost fifty years old, and he refused to let the idea of asking a girl out turn him into a quivering mass of nerves. He was going to play it by ear, take things slow and see where they went. He groaned as he realized he'd been reduced to using cliches.   
  
The woman currently tormenting his waking thoughts and (now that he'd let down his reserve a notch) starring prominently in some pretty great dreams, had no clue how much her life was about to change. Hammond had told them that there would be some visitors from the new President's staff on base tomorrow, and ordered them to dress accordingly, which meant class A's for he and the Major. In truth, General Jumper was making a special visit to present several promotions, including Carter's, and to meet with Hammond to discuss the incoming administrations initial reaction to the Stargate program. Hammond had offered Jack the honor of helping to pin the silver oak leaves on the new Lt. Colonel and that had prompted his frantic search for his insignia. He was getting sappy in his old age he decided, but somehow he just felt it was a fitting farewell present to the best 2IC he had ever had the pleasure of serving with.   
  
  
  
The next day did not find Major Sam Carter in the best of moods. It had been bad enough figuring out how to modify BDU's to fit over her cast, but the damn fiberglass up to her mid-thigh was really not conducive to putting on her dress blues. She'd finally managed something that was close to regulation dress, but now was having to practice using her crutches again, as the one dress pump was seriously throwing off her rhythm. Maybe she could go barefoot until the last possible minute. A knock on the door of her quarters interrupted her mental griping and she shuffled over to open it for her CO.   
  
For a moment she couldn't breath. God, he looked wonderful. She might be an expert at hiding her inappropriate feeling for Jack O'Neill, but there were still unexpected moments when the man made her go weak in the knees. This was definitely one of them. It had been way too long since she'd seen him in his dress blues, and the sight was something worth taking a moment to appreciate. Luckily for her, Jack was also frozen in place at the sight of his Major (for the moment) in her uniform. His mind was hopelessly flashing back to the first moment he had seen her as she'd stepped so confidently from the shadow of the doorway in the briefing room almost seven years ago. He couldn't help but think that time had been much kinder to her than to him in the intervening years. She still looked drop dead gorgeous in her dress blues. A passing airman broke their reverie, and Jack stepped back to let Sam pass, shutting the door behind them. Behind her back he allowed a proud grin start to form.   
  
By the time they had reached the Gateroom he had his emotions strictly under control, though he couldn't help reaching into his pocket every couple of minutes to feel the comforting presence of the insignia there. Carter was still oblivious, and he delighted in watching her face as General Jumper entered the room with Hammond and she began to get the sense that something was up. She had started to relax as Jumper gave his speech and then others were called up for promotion, so he almost laughed out loud at her confusion when her name was called. By the time he and Hammond were standing in front of her everything had begun to sink in and they were greeted by a very happy smile. He signaled Hammond to hold up for a moment as the General pulled out her new insignia and then reached into his pocket to pull out the freshly polished pair hidden there. He saw her eyes widen in surprise and then they flew to meet his. They were glistening with happy tears as she accepted his gesture with a small nod. He handed one of his insignia to Hammond who pocketed to now superfluous pair, then they each proudly removed one of her gold leaves and replaced them with Jack's silver ones. With huge grins they stepped back to salute Lt. Colonel Carter.   
  
As she returned the salute the assembled crowd burst into applause, and an instant later Daniel and Teal'c were surrounding her offering their congratulations. It was an hour later, after having made the rounds including chatting with General Jumper, that SG1 prepared to head out of the celebration. They made plans to treat Sam to dinner out at a nice restaurant that evening, and Jack promised to invite Hammond as well. He had a few items he wanted to clarify once the General was through meeting with Jumper anyway. He headed for his office, not bothering to change out of his uniform while a five-star was still on base, but within twenty minutes he found himself heading down to Carter's lab. He wasn't able to concentrate worth a darn anyway.   
  
As he expected he found Carter was in a similar state, staring at her computer screen blankly, unsure if she was supposed to understand what it was displaying or not. She was actually relieved when the Colonel wandered in, and she gave him a smile as she chuckled at her own expense.   
  
"I'm in a total daze," she admitted.  
  
Her jacket was draped over the back of a nearby chair, and she turned to finger one of the silver leaves.   
  
"Thank you, Sir. It means a lot that you gave me these," she told him.   
  
"I can't imagine anyone more worthy of wearing them, Sam," he responded and delighted in the startled look she gave him at his use of her first name.  
  
He actually saw the moment it dawned on her that he was no longer going to be her CO. Her eyes widened and her lips formed a soft 'Oh'. She really had been in a daze if she was just thinking about it now, he realized. Then she did something totally unexpected. She smiled. Not just a normal smile, but a huge Sam Carter smile. The kind she normally reserved for when she uncovered one of the secrets of the universe. And Jack was reduced to standing there, speechless, grinning back at her. Luckily, the ringing of her phone saved him.  
  
"Carter. Yes, he is Sir. I'll send him right down, Sir," she replied to the queries he couldn't hear, but could guess at. "Hammond wants to see you," she confirmed as she hung up.  
  
"See you later. And Sam? Stay in the dress blues. You should wear them for your celebration dinner," Jack ordered.  
  
"I will if you will," she agreed, then caused him to stop dead in his tracks as she continued. "You will be driving me home afterwards, won't you?"  
  
He didn't dare look back at her. "Wild horses, Colonel."  
  
  
  
Hammond had given him a rundown on what was going on in Washington. On the plus side, the new President was impressed if slightly overwhelmed by the knowledge of what had been going on at the SGC for the last seven years, and he seemed to realize that Vice President Kinsey had his own private agenda. On the downside, President Hayes was under a lot of pressure to make changes in the structure of the command. Hammond was hoping these would be minor, but there was no telling what would occur.   
  
Their discussion then turned towards matters that were under their control. "I'm officially transferring Lt. Colonel Carter off of SG1," Hammond announced. "For now she will be working full time in the lab, reporting directly to me. When she has fully recovered, as I have no doubt she will, I am planning on giving her command of a team."  
  
Jack nodded. He'd expected most of this, the thing he'd wanted to clarify was whom she reported to while she was still on light duty. Hammond had just given him the all clear. And if the smile lurking in his CO's eyes was any indication, the General was well aware of the implications.   
  
"She'll be a great CO. She's been ready for her own command for quite a while," Jack admitted. "I'm not sure how SG1 is going to survive without her though."  
  
"It's going to be a tough transition for everyone. In a way I'm glad that the timing has worked out the way it did. Not that I'm happy about the Lt. Colonel being laid up, but it gave you all a breather to get used to the idea before it became a reality," Hammond confessed.   
  
"I don't think the reality of it has hit Daniel yet, although Teal'c probably understands the implications," Jack replied. "Guess I should talk to them before we go out tonight. Will you be able to join us, Sir? I know Carter would like it if you did," Jack acknowledged.   
  
"I'll be sure to make it there then," Hammond assured him. Privately he was looking forward to seeing just what would occur between O'Neill and Carter now that they no longer had the regs in their way, and tonight was going to be the first test of that. He wouldn't miss it for the world. "Why don't you send Lt. Colonel Carter down to see me so I can go over these plans with her. I'll leave it to you to make sure the rest of SG1 understands what is occurring," Hammond commanded.  
  
  
  
The celebration that night was in full swing when Sam and Jack finally got two minutes alone together. Somehow the word had spread as to the location of the dinner and several other SG teams, including two that were also celebrating promotions in their ranks, had showed up. And it didn't take long for Jack to notice that there was lot of whispering and staring going on. Perhaps even a bit of wagering. He wondered whom he had to thank for leaking the word that Carter was officially off of SG1.   
  
When Jack had talked to his teammates earlier before they left base Daniel had been too upset at the realization that Sam was no longer going to be on their team to think beyond that fact. Teal'c however had nodded sagely.   
  
"Do not waste this opportunity, O'Neill," he had warned. Jack hadn't bothered to feign ignorance.   
  
Now however with a couple of beers under his belt, Daniel was eyeing his friends as if he expected them to spontaneously combust at any moment, as were about half of the rest of the folks from the SGC that were still partying. Jack was feeling in need of a break from the prying eyes.   
  
He slipped out of his seat and headed to the bathroom, and after he was done there he noticed a back door to the restaurant beckoning. It took about ten minutes of breathing in the clean air before he felt ready to face the crowd again, and he headed in, almost bowling over Carter as she maneuvered herself out of the ladies' room into the narrow hallway. She gave him a wry grin.  
  
"There is no way we can appear back at the table together at the same time," she commented.   
  
"You noticed, too, huh? What do they think is going to happen here tonight?" Jack asked shaking his head.  
  
"I heard one bet that you would sweep everything off the table and take me right there," Sam quipped.   
  
"That's ridiculous. Your cast would get in the way," Jack pointed out.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure we could find a way around that," Sam countered.   
  
"Is that a challenge, Carter?" Jack asked, only partially kidding.   
  
"Not really," Sam insisted to his disappointment. Then she continued "I don't want our first time to be a balancing act. No cast." She started to turn away and then paused to warn him, "Give me a couple of minutes before you head back. You can say you were making a phone call if anybody asks."   
  
And she hobbled off leaving Jack mentally calculating how long it would be until that damn cast came off.   
  
  
  
In the end, the two officers had given no outward indications that anything had changed much to the disappointment of most of those gathered that evening. Lt. Colonel Spencer obviously wasn't paying attention to the gossip though as he cornered Sam for a while and finally worked up the nerve to ask her out. There were more than a few relieved sighs when she gently turned him down. Jack to his credit didn't even bat an eye, although he swore he stopped breathing for a split second before she gave her answer. By the time he bundled her into the back seat of his truck to take her home even he was a bit let down by the lack of anything happening. Then he remembered her comment outside the restrooms and he couldn't help but smile. Unfortunately the memory didn't make their parting at Carter's house any less awkward.  
  
He helped her unfold from the back seat of his truck and handed her the crutches, then pulled out the rest of her gear while she made her way to the front door. He followed her inside, putting the garment bag that had carried her uniform into work that morning and her briefcase down on the couch, then turned to help her off with her uniform jacket as she balanced on one crutch. He hung it neatly over the back of a chair, then turned once more to where Sam was standing looking a bit anxious. He knew exactly how she felt. He could feel his own heart pounding as he tried to decide what to do next.   
  
"So…," he stammered, "It's late, I guess I'll see you in the morning."  
  
"Um, yeah," Sam agreed.   
  
They headed towards her front door and he paused with his hand on the knob. Decision finally made he turned around sharply and leaned in to brush his lips softly against hers. The kiss was nothing more than a promise, which he followed up with an invitation.  
  
"Are you busy Friday night?"   
  
Sam took a moment to recover from the duel surprises inflicted by the sudden kiss and question, then she smiled.  
  
"Well… I was going dancing," she began looking sarcastically down at her cast, " but I can cancel if you have something in mind."  
  
Picking up on her mood, he replied, "Oh, I have something in mind, but you said you want to wait until the cast comes off. So I thought maybe we could have a quiet dinner at my place and watch a movie instead. It will be easier than trying to fit you into a theatre."  
  
"That sounds nice," she agreed.   
  
"Then it's a date," he smiled, silently trying to calculate just how long it had been since he'd last been on a date and giving up when it started to depress him.   
  
This time it was Sam who leaned in to initiate a gentle kiss before whispering, "Can't wait."  
  
  
  
Of course they should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Now that Carter's transfer was official Hammond wasted no time assigning a new member to SG1 and scheduling them for a mission. They headed out on Thursday for a twenty-four hour standard planetary survey, something easy to break in their new forth, a Captain Lloyd Crenshaw. They ended up coming back six hours late on Friday, because the Captain had misread his instruments and he'd had them hiking in the wrong direction for hours, constantly insisting that the Gate was just ahead before realizing and admitting his mistake.   
  
So it was three very grumpy ex-teammates and one quiet and scared young Captain that arrived through the gate at 18:00 Friday evening. Jack immediately spotted Carter standing in the briefing room window looking slightly pale but relieved to see everyone in one piece. Debriefing was scheduled for first thing in the morning, but Hammond asked to see O'Neill as soon as he was showered and through his post-mission physical. Knowing he would be awhile, he exchanged keys with Daniel so that he and Teal'c could take Sam home in Jack's truck. He was glad he had done so as it was two hours before he was finally through reviewing Captain Crenshaw's performance with Hammond (they both agreed that he wasn't a good fit for SG1) and was able to head to Sam's for pizza and beer with his old team.  
  
When he arrived he was feeling even grumpier as he realized that his first date with Carter had been ruined. He wondered if the two of them would ever catch a break. He was surprised to have the door opened by Sam and even more surprised when as soon as the door was closed behind him she threw her arms around his neck letting her crutches drop to the ground and leaned in to initiate a heated kiss. Surprise didn't keep him from enjoying the moment though, and he instinctively pulled her in closer and gave his full attention to memorizing the feel of her body pressed up close to his. When they parted several glorious minutes later Jack's mood had improved considerably.   
  
"Please tell me Cassie, Daniel and Teal'c have decided to leave us alone for the evening," he murmured into her hair as his hands began to wander.  
  
"Cassandra is out with friends and won't be back until late. But I just sent Daniel and Teal'c out for food and beer. They should be back soon, " Sam sighed in disappointment. Then she leaned back and gave him a playful punch in the shoulder. "You owe me $100," she told him, her eyes suddenly getting serious. "I was so afraid you'd succumbed to the Carter curse," she admitted.  
  
"Not a chance. Especially now that I know what the homecomings can be like," he vowed. "So are we going to go double or nothing again?" he teased.  
  
"I don't know. It doesn't seem to be encouraging you to stay out of trouble," Sam complained.  
  
"This was not my fault. You spoiled us by never being wrong when it came to reading your doohickey's, and always admitting it when you didn't have the answer right away," he explained.  
  
"So this was my fault?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, trying to look indignant, but actually having a bit of trouble with her breathing as Jack had managed to untuck her shirt from her jeans and his fingers were now caressing the bare skin of her lower back.   
  
"I wouldn't say it was your fault, but you have made it almost impossible for anyone to replace you in our eyes," Jack confessed nibbling on her neck.  
  
The sound of a car door slamming broke them apart, and had Sam leaning against the wall frantically tucking her shirt in, while Jack reached down to retrieve her crutches. By the time Jack opened the door to Daniel and Teal'c they both felt relatively back in control. The four of them spent a pleasant evening, especially after Daniel and Teal'c stopped watching Sam and Jack's every move and relaxed. Whatever was going on between the two, they obviously weren't going to tell until they were good and ready, so the rest of SG1 would just have to be patient.   
  
Before Jack left that night he and Sam rescheduled their date for the following evening, and since he was the last to leave they were able to share a goodnight kiss that curled Sam's toes. She was still ginning like a fool when Cassie came home and the teen took one look at her and instantly demanded to know what was up.  
  
After seven years of ignoring and repressing her feelings it took Sam a moment to be able to get the words out.  
  
"I'm in love with Jack O'Neill," she stated happily.  
  
Cassie just shook her head. "For a genius you sure are slow. We've known that for years."  
  
  
  
End Week Five 


	7. Week Six: One Step Forward, Two Steps Ba...

Title: "Eight Weeks Series – Week Six: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back"  
  
Author: Jackie W.   
  
Email: jackiesfic@aol.com  
  
Season: Season 7, immediately after Resurrection   
  
Spoilers: Lost City Part 1… Eight Weeks version!  
  
Summary: They should have known it wouldn't last   
  
  
  
  
  
She spent most of Monday smiling. She couldn't help herself. As much as she tried to act normally the smile just bubbled up naturally. Of course the fact that Jack O'Neill was also in an abnormally good mood caused the grapevine to positively buzz with speculation. It didn't take long for Hammond to notice and he quickly called Dr. Jackson and Teal'c to his office to get an update.   
  
"They haven't told us anything, but according to Cassie, they had a date Saturday night," Daniel reported.   
  
Hammond smiled his approval, "That didn't take long. They played it so cool at her promotion dinner I was getting worried," he confessed.  
  
"Well it can't be easy on them knowing everyone is watching their every move. I guess I don't blame them for trying to keep it quiet for a bit," Daniel acknowledged.   
  
"But it's going to make it difficult to pay out on all of the wagers," Hammond sighed. "See what you can find out gentlemen."  
  
Sam and Jack didn't make it easy. They knew that as soon as their best friends were sure there was a romantic relationship it would be all over the base, so they were discreet for a few more days until they themselves got used to the idea. Thank goodness Cassie had spent Saturday night at a friend's house and was unaware that Sam hadn't made it home until almost noon on Sunday.   
  
  
  
They had enjoyed a relaxed dinner together, laughing and flirting. Sam had been so worried that it would be awkward, but somehow the aborted attempt at a date the previous evening and subsequent kisses had settled their nerves. Instead they were enjoying the freedom of being together with no prying eyes or pesky consequences to worry about. And since they had already established that they were going to wait until Sam's cast was off to make love, there was no pressure in that department. Maybe that's why things had gotten so heated on the couch watching the movie. They had barely made it past the credits when Jack's hands had started to wander. Sam hadn't even thought to push them away. She was enjoying the sensations way too much and concentrated instead on doing some exploring of her own.   
  
Before long much of their clothing had been discarded and they paused to find they were down to boxers and one small scrap of lace.  
  
"We seem to be forgetting our agreement. If you want to stop just say so, Sam," Jack offered sincerely.  
  
She loved him all the more for giving her the choice, but there was no way she was going to leave at that point. "How about a compromise?" she suggested.  
  
It had only taken him a second to get the drift, and a moment later she found herself swept up and carried off to his bedroom where the remaining clothing was removed. Technically they had not had sex, at least not if you used a certain ex-president's definition of the act. However they couldn't truthfully say they hadn't made love either, not given the number of times the feelings had been confessed as the evening progressed. Sam wasn't surprised to find that Jack O'Neill had learned a few tricks over the years, and he'd put most of them to good use that night. Of course she was pretty sure she'd shocked him a bit in the process, but he certainly hadn't complained. Either time.   
  
  
  
Since that night they had cooled things down a bit. Jack had come over for Sunday dinner at Sam's and they had calmly put up with Cassie's teasing. On Monday and Tuesday Sam had gone over to Jack's after they'd left the base for the day and had returned each evening early enough to keep Cassie from asking any awkward questions. So despite repeated attempts by Daniel to get information from the teen, there hadn't been much to tell except that they were spending time together. All of that changed on Wednesday. SG1 was scheduled to go out on another cake run with a Captain Susan Wilson as a possible new forth, and as usual Sam was in the locker room as the guys geared up. Captain Wilson was getting ready in the main locker room as she hadn't moved her things just yet. This suited Sam and Jack just fine as they had discussed the evening before how they were going to let their teammates in on the changes in their lives.  
  
Now as they guys finished up Sam didn't bother to try to hide her ogling of Jack's ass as he bent to tie his shoes. She grinned cheekily at Teal'c as he raised an eyebrow in her direction and then she winked. She could have sworn she saw the Jaffa's lips twitch in return.   
  
"Enjoying the show, Carter?" Jack asked as he straightened up.   
  
"Always, Sir. I'm the envy of every other woman on an SG team," Sam replied.   
  
Daniel actually blushed. He knew that all three of them despite their respect for Sam had secretly enjoyed watching her gear up at times, but it had never occurred to him that she did the same. He caught her eye in dismay and saw amusement there.   
  
"Don't worry Daniel. While you all have fine sixes that it's been my pleasure to watch for the last seven years, I only have designs on one," she assured her friend as she hobbled over to Jack and gave him a playful swat on the aforementioned rear end.   
  
"Watch it there Colonel, I believe that qualifies as insubordination," Jack teased.   
  
"Am I to be punished?" Sam quizzed leaning in suggestively.   
  
At that Jack swept her into his arms and thoroughly kissed her. When he released her she had to hang on for a moment to get her balance and then turned to see Teal'c and Daniel's reactions. Teal'c simply nodded his approval. Daniel was speechless with delight.  
  
"Cat got your tongue Daniel?" Jack inquired.  
  
"Only one thing to say, Jack. It's about damn time," Daniel replied. "So I guess we can settle some of the bets now."  
  
"Only some?" Sam inquired.  
  
"Well there are still the ones outstanding on when he'll put a ring on your finger," Daniel informed them, causing Sam to blush.  
  
Jack took it calmly enough though until Teal'c added, "And don't' forget the wagers on the birth of their first child, Daniel Jackson."  
  
It was hard to say which of the two officers looked more stunned.  
  
  
  
The trip off world was uneventful but grueling, if only because of the fact that Captain Wilson never shut up. She asked questions non-stop, and when she ran out of those began in on her opinions. The three men had never appreciated Sam so much in their entire lives. Jack promised himself he would stop and buy the woman flowers tonight on the way home. He had a feeling Daniel and Teal'c would be willing to help pay for them. The only good thing was that he didn't have to explain to Hammond why he never wanted to go out with the chatterbox again as she kept up the flow all through the debriefing. Hammond called Jack into his office immediately afterwards and told him that he would continue to look for a suitable forth for SG1.   
  
Jack kept his promise and stopped on the way home with Sam propped up in the back seat to buy her flowers. When she asked what they were for, he just shrugged.   
  
"They are an apology. I'm starting to feel like we took you for granted all these years, and I'm sorry we didn't let you know how much we appreciated you," Jack said. "I wanted to at times, but you know me and expressing myself. Besides I always felt like I shouldn't go there," he admitted.  
  
"But now you can?" she teased.   
  
"Go there? I sure hope so!" he grinned.  
  
"Actually I meant express yourself. You've been doing a pretty good job in the last few days," she praised him.  
  
"I'm working on it," he confessed.   
  
She leaned in for a kiss. "Well don't strain yourself. I've gotten pretty good at speaking Jack O'Neill, so as long as you remember the 'I love you's' and an occasional passing wolf whistle I'll read the rest between the lines," she assured him.  
  
"Good to know," he said in relief.   
  
  
  
Thursday was a quiet day. Daniel was holed up in his lab working on a translation, and Sam was busy with the shield generator project, so Jack had no choice but to catch up on paperwork, except for when he took time out to go bug Sam in her lab. She finally handed him a crossword puzzle and told him she'd wipe out his other debt if he could finish it by this time the next day.   
  
"Double or nothing?" he suggested.   
  
"Sure," she agreed safe in her assumption that he would lose interest after a while.   
  
It would be the last bet they made in a long time.  
  
  
  
When the men of SG1 came back through the gate the next day Sam knew instantly that something was wrong. When she realized that Jack once again had the knowledge of the ancients taking over his mind she felt her world crashing in around her. She wanted to stay the night with him, but he dropped her off at her place with hardly a word. Once there she sat in shocked silence broken only by Cassie's return sometime after midnight. If the teen noticed anything wrong she was discreet enough to not say anything at that point and by the time she woke up the next morning Sam was gone, having taken a taxi to Jack's.   
  
Saturday went from bad to worse. First her attempt at getting Jack alone was interrupted by Teal'c and Daniel who needed to be there just as much as she did. Then Hammond stopped by and shocked them all further by telling them he'd been relieved of duty. Sam found herself wondering what was next? Teal'c pledging his allegiance to a system lord or Daniel deciding he was going to go back and try the glowy thing again?   
  
As the group broke up later she didn't budge. There was no way he was going to push her away again tonight. When she saw him open his mouth she quickly spoke up.  
  
"Don't even think about it, Jack. I need you to hold me tonight and not let go," she warned him.  
  
He nodded in agreement. He could do that, as long as she didn't want to talk. He had no clue what to say to her, or if it would even come out in English.  
  
They spent most of the next 36 hours wrapped quietly in each other's arms, and on Monday morning they reluctantly parted and headed back to the SGC.  
  
  
  
End Week 6 


	8. Week Seven: Standing on the Precipice

Title: "Eight Weeks Series – Week Seven: Standing at the Precipice"  
  
Author: Jackie W.   
  
Email: jackiesfic@aol.com  
  
Spoilers: Lost City Part 2… Eight Weeks version!  
  
Summary: As long as she keeps busy, she can ignore the pain.   
  
  
  
She played the perfect officer for four days. Through the confusion of Bray'tac showing up with his devastating news of Anubis' planned attack, through Jack's decline as the Ancient knowledge began to take over, even through the departure of the remaining three members of SG1 to try to find the Lost City. She gave Dr. Weir crash courses on Gate basics, and sat in on meetings and conference calls, she simulated and postulated. She actually liked her new CO who she found to be an intelligent woman that even Jack was able to get along with. She buried the guilt she felt at not being out there as the attack began and did everything in her power to keep the base safe, and provide a calm presence in the control room, where Sgt. Davis was being sorely missed as he aided Hammond on the Prometheus. She silently praised Dr. Weir's quick action when they lost power and she ordered the Iris closed manually without hesitating. And she cheered with the rest of the staff when Hammond verified that they had defeated Anubis' forces.   
  
Then she waited. The news from Antarctica when it came was almost more than she could take and fearing she would break down right in front of everyone she quickly retreated. Dr. Weir held a long conversation with Daniel getting as much information as she could. As they were closing he asked to speak to Sam.   
  
"She stepped out, Dr. Jackson. Is there something you needed to ask her?" Dr Weir inquired.   
  
There was along pause. Daniel knew that he and Teal'c would probably be at the Antarctic site for days and there was no one he trusted to look out for Sam. Not even Sgt. Davis was around to make sure she ate and slept. But he knew if he said a word to her new CO Sam would have his head.   
  
"No, I'll catch her later," Daniel replied.   
  
Sam for her part had found a safe haven in Janet's old office. A lot of the medical staff had been ordered out to McMurdo to assist with the injuries and casualties incurred during the firefight with Anubis, so just a skeleton staff currently remained at the SGC as there were no teams off-world. Sam knew if she was really needed she would be paged, and no one would think to look for her here in the meantime. She stayed there sitting in the guest chair she had used on a hundred different occasions out of sight of the security camera and waited for the tears to come. When they did the sobs rocked her body until she physically ached.   
  
Later, when she felt capable of holding it together for a short period of time she left her refuge and headed to SG1's locker room where she changed out of her BDU's and washed her face. Then she called up topside to see if there was an airman available to take her home. Since they were used to carting her home when SG1 was off world a car and airman were made available with a minimum of fuss. An hour later she was settling herself on her couch with a sigh of relief.   
  
She wasn't surprised when her phone rang to find that it was Daniel. He had waited until the command post was set up and then borrowed a satellite phone to call her. Finding that she had checked out of the base he knew to try her at home.   
  
"Sam where the hell did you get to? Dr. Weir said you stepped out and you never came back," he scolded.   
  
His only answer was something that sounded suspiciously like a sniffle.   
  
"Sam? Are you alright?" he asked in concern.  
  
"Just peachy Daniel," Sam responded hoarsely.  
  
"We'll figure it out Sam. Teal'c and I are leading the team here to recover anything that might help us translate some of the writings, and we'll keep sending messages to the Asguard. Don't give up," he counseled.   
  
"I wish I could be there with you," Sam confessed.  
  
"I know, but we'll be sending you stuff tomorrow that you can analyze. And quite frankly it's very cold here. I would gladly change places with you," Daniel told her.  
  
"I remember," Sam said, her mind wandering back to the first time she had been there. Even way back then she had felt a real sense of safety in Jack's arms.   
  
They'd almost lost him that time. Come to think of it, they almost lost him the second time they were there too. The man was three for three. He'd never be going back there again if she had any say in the matter. Assuming of course he ever made it back this time.   
  
Cassie arrived home shortly after, and Sam pulled it together long enough to make dinner. Afterwards she stopped her young charge before she could disappear into her room, and sat her down to tell her what had occurred over the last week. Cassie was in turn horrified and grief stricken. Having just lost her mother the idea of losing anyone else was incomprehensible. Sam did her best to reassure her, but knew she was failing miserably. Suddenly the teen seemed to realize how this must be affecting Sam, and she found herself suddenly switching roles.  
  
"I'm sure you guys will find a way, Sam. Uncle Jack didn't give up. He must have know that putting himself in that machine would save him, and he'd be able to come back to you," she reasoned.   
  
Strangely that thought hadn't occurred to Sam, and she found herself with a small amount of hope to hold onto.   
  
"You're right Cassie. I'm sure he knew that he could survive in that thing until help arrived," she agreed, feeling more confident this time.   
  
  
  
It was a much calmer Sam Carter that headed back to the SGC the next day. At least she was until Dr. Weir sent for her and gave her a royal chewing out for her disappearing act the day before. She took it with her shoulders squared and back as straight at attention as she could get on crutches, and apologized to her CO politely, letting her know it wouldn't happen again. Dr. Weir noticed that after the Lt. Colonel had departed she got several disapproving looks from the staff in the control room who had probably heard her raised voice. Within hours it seemed that everyone on the base was being cool and distant to her. Finally she called in her aide, a young Lieutenant who had served with Hammond for several years.   
  
"Adamsly, would you care to let me know exactly what I did that was so awful?" the Doctor inquired. When the Lieutenant paused she put on her best commander's tone. "I can make it an order."  
  
"It was the way you treated Lt. Colonel Carter, Ma'am," the young woman finally admitted. "We all feel like she's been through enough and didn't really deserve to be reprimanded."  
  
"So I should just let her come and go as she pleases?" Dr. Weir demanded in confusion.   
  
"No, Ma'am, but given the circumstances I'm sure you can understand why she needed some privacy," the Lieutenant gently chastised.   
  
"What circumstances would those be?" Dr. Weir queried.  
  
Adamsly's eyes grew large as she realized that Dr. Weir had no clue as to the complex relationship between Lt. Colonel Carter and Colonel Jack O'Neill.   
  
"I don't think the Lt. Colonel would want me to comment on her private life, Ma'am," the lieutenant replied, and set her lips in a firm line that sent a clear message that her CO would get no gossip from her.   
  
Beth Adamsly had been at the SGC for 3 years and like most of the female officers was friendly with Sam Carter. There was no way she would betray her by discussing this with Weir, even under direct orders. Elizabeth Weir was a master negotiator partially because of her uncanny ability to read people. She recognized the look on her aide's face and correctly interpreted it to mean she would be getting no information there. But she was sure that there were plenty of sources out there, and she was now curious enough to keep her ear to the ground. She was sure she would find out what had caused this unusually protective stance by the base staff soon.   
  
What she hadn't counted on was just how efficient the Lieutenant was, or just how protective the others would be of the woman that had saved them all many times over. Adamsly effortlessly spread the word that Dr. Weir was not aware of the relationship between Carter and O'Neill, and thus should not be blamed for her actions in reprimanding the Lt. Colonel. In addition, out of respect for the two officers, no gossip was to be spread in the vicinity of the new base CO. So while people eased off on their disapproval, Dr. Weir was still in the dark as to why her actions had caused such an intense reaction in the first place.   
  
Meanwhile, the woman that was the cause of the whole affair remained blissfully ignorant, which was a good thing seeing as she had enough to worry about. She used the one technique that had always worked for her and buried herself in her work to keep from having to deal with the total and complete emptiness she was feeling. Just as Daniel had promised, schematics and photos had arrived for her to review, providing plenty for her to obsess over. By Sunday she had exhausted herself enough that she thought she might actually be able to get a bit of sleep that night. She was just about to dial topside to get an airman to drive her home when she was interrupted by a knock on her lab door.   
  
"Colonel, when I said that I didn't want you disappearing without telling anyone where you were I didn't intend for you to chain yourself to your lab desk," Weir chastised gently.   
  
"Sorry, Ma'am. I tend to loose track of time when I'm working on something new," Sam admitted.   
  
"It seems I'm the one who should apologize. It's been made very clear to me that you had good reason to slip away on Thursday, though I have to admit that no one will give me a clue as to what that is," the doctor declared. She didn't fail to notice that the statement caused the women before her to pale slightly.  
  
"I'm surprised. Usually this place is worse than a small town as far as gossip is concerned," Sam replied.  
  
"Everyone here seems to have the utmost respect for you," Weir explained, causing the Lt. Colonel to blush this time. Not wanting to press the issue Dr. Weir changed the subject. "Anyway, I stopped by here because I've been trying to familiarize myself with all of the alien weapons that were listed as being on base. I've been to the armory and seen the zats and staff weapons and the new weapon you helped develop to use against Anubis' engineered soldiers, but there is one item on my list that isn't stored there. It's a 'ribbon' device? The sergeant in the armory said it was kept in your lab," Weir explained.   
  
Sam nodded. "It's in my safe," she acknowledged, walking over and quickly opening the door of the small safe and taking out both the ribbon device and the healing device she kept there. She handed the first item to Dr. Weir.   
  
"Why is it kept in here?" Weir inquired looking over the ornate device cautiously.   
  
"You can't activate it, so you don't need to worry. That's why it's in here," Sam replied. On seeing that her CO was still confused she stiffened slightly and then confessed, "I'm the only one on base that can use it."  
  
At that point Sam made a decision. Dr. Weir had proved herself to be working independently of Kinnsey and had distinguished herself over the course of the last week, and so Sam walked over to another locked filing cabinet where she kept a copy of her medical records as they related to the whole Jolinar incident. Janet was the only other person that had had a copy of the real records. All other copies had been doctored to keep the some of the details from falling into the wrong hands.   
  
"You should probably read this," Sam told her CO, handing her the file and taking the device from her, making another decision in the process. "Do you want to see how this works?"  
  
"If you don't mind," Dr. Weir replied.  
  
With a shrug Sam led Weir into an adjoining lab where they had worked on the new super soldier weapon. She fitted the ribbon device onto her hand and turned to the set of Goa'uld armor standing up as a target. She let all of the grief and anger over Jack's current status well up, and blasted the poor dummy across the room. Then she felt all of the emotion fade away until the emptiness she had been living with the last few days returned in force.  
  
Elizabeth Weir was shocked to the core. Not so much from the destructive force she had just seen demonstrated, but by the rapid changes in demeanor of the woman wielding the weapon. The confident, intelligent officer had morphed into a cold, unrecognizable person, filled with an anger that literally flowed through her to be focused on her target. Just as quickly she changed again, this time into a woman who looked like the walking dead, emotionless and exhausted.  
  
"Are you all right, Colonel?" Weir asked in dismay.  
  
Sam forced herself to meet the horror filled eyes of her CO with her own that were heavy with pain.  
  
"Just peachy," she assured the woman, then turned and walked back to her lab, removing the ribbon device as she went.   
  
In the few short minutes it took to make it back to Sam's lab, Elizabeth Weir regained her composure and questions began flying through her brain. She wasn't sure where to start. Luckily the Lt. Colonel was good at reading people too, and started in on the scientific explanations.  
  
"It's powered by the naquada in a Goa'uld's, or in my case former host's, bloodstream. It channels the anger and hatred into an energy stream. It's no problem at all for a Goa'uld to engage it at will. I have to really concentrate. In the heat of battle I've used it fairly easily. On most normal days I can't operate it all. You caught me on a bad day," Sam confessed.   
  
"Remind me to never get you angry," Weir said, smiling to let Sam know she was kidding.   
  
Sam just frowned though. "You had every right to reprimand me, Doctor," she assured the woman.   
  
"Yes, I did with the facts I had on hand. I think however there are some things that I should be aware of, if you feel comfortable telling me," Elizabeth suggested.   
  
Sam contemplated the offer. "One deep dark secret is probably enough for one day," she finally replied. Then to soften her refusal to open up further she commented, "You have earned a great deal of respect over the last week. I don't trust many people with the knowledge that I can operate Goa'uld technology."  
  
"Then I'm honored. And I mean it Colonel, my door is always open," Weir assured her.  
  
Sam wondered just how long it would be before she ended up in the woman's office. With no one else but Cassie to prop up her flagging spirits she had a feeling she was going to need to apologize for her bad mood frequently.   
  
  
  
End Week 7 


	9. Week Eight: Falling into Hell

Title: "Eight Weeks Series – Week Eight – Falling into Hell"  
  
Author: Jackie W.   
  
Email: jackiesfic@aol.com  
  
Spoilers: Lost City Part 2… Eight Weeks version!  
  
Summary: Sam finally makes it to Antarctica.   
  
  
  
  
  
On Monday, Sam thought to ask the one remaining doctor if he would be removing her cast as it was due to come off. This set off a flurry of calls to McMurdo, and the Academy Hospital, where Sam finally ended up on Tuesday morning getting the cast off. She was given some light exercises, and threatened with dire consequences if she didn't use a cane to keep her full weight off of the still recovering tendons and muscles. Her physical therapy wasn't scheduled to start until the following Monday, as the therapists were overloaded with cases that had been transferred back from McMurdo. All in all though, the doctor that had reviewed her latest x-rays was cautiously optimistic. Sam saw this as a unique opportunity. She headed straight for Dr. Weir's office when she returned to base.   
  
"You want to do what?" Weir demanded in astonishment.  
  
"I want to fly out to the Antarctic sight so I can see the machine that the Colonel is in up close. There is a flight heading out later tonight, and since I don't have to start PT until Monday it gives me a couple of days grace period to go out, confer with the scientists there, and see for myself just what this thing looks like. It's hard to get an accurate view of it from just the pictures and schematics," Sam explained calmly.  
  
Weir looked over the Lt. Colonel carefully. Her gut instincts were telling her there was more to this request than met the eye, but Carter was showing no signs of anything but scientific interest. She was tempted to deny her since she wasn't cleared for active duty, but knew that an on-world research mission posed no danger to the Lt. Colonel at this point.   
  
"Fine," Weir agreed with a sigh. "You can go, but just for one day. I want you back here on Friday with a full report," she warned.  
  
"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you, Ma'am," Sam replied.  
  
  
  
The flight would have normally been grueling but for Sam, who hadn't slept well in weeks, the engine noise was the best sleeping pill in the world. She dozed peacefully for ten hours. Then the nightmares started. She must have called out because she awoke with a young Captain looking at her in concern with one hand on her shoulder.   
  
"Are you all right Ma'am?" he inquired politely.   
  
Sam blushed and nodded. "Just a bad dream, Captain, thank you."  
  
The rest of the flight was uneventful as Sam tried to contain her nervous energy that seemed to increase the closer they got to their destination. It was late on Wednesday when they finally arrived at the base camp above the Ancient outpost. The light was fading, and it was decided that she would have to wait until morning before ringing down as most of the researchers had already returned and only a handful of SF's remained below. She instantly sought out Daniel and Teal'c who were thrilled if slightly surprised to see her.   
  
"You got your cast off!" Daniel exclaimed, giving her a hug.  
  
"Yesterday," Sam nodded trying not to dwell on it. She didn't want to remember all of the things Jack had jokingly promised they would do once it was off. Most of them were x-rated. She would save those thought for the lonely nights she knew were ahead of her.   
  
"Are you sure it is wise for you to be here Colonel Carter?" Teal'c inquired, eyeing her cane.  
  
"I had to come, Teal'c. I couldn't stand not knowing," she confessed.   
  
Teal'c placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze even as he bowed his head in understanding.  
  
"Well we were just about to eat. Come on, you can fill us in on everything that went on at the SGC while we were off on Jack's grand tour of Ancient outposts," Daniel offered with a tired smile. He couldn't help but wonder if Sam was up to what she was going to see in the morning.  
  
Over dinner Sam was thrilled to learn that both Daniel and Teal'c were planning on flying back late tomorrow anyway. She checked in with the officer in charge and was able to get herself on the same transport back. She had a feeling she was going to need all the support she could get when she had to part from Jack and leave him here. Because even though there would be several dozen people still there, with no one from SG-1 to stand guard it would feel like they were leaving him behind.   
  
  
  
She didn't sleep at all that night and was one of the first ones up an in the mess tent in the morning. She was on her second cup of coffee when her former teammates arrived. Knowing her time down below in the ancient outpost was limited they quickly ate and escorted her to the rings that had been installed in the middle of their base. A moment later she was standing before Jack's frozen body.  
  
The picture's hadn't done it justice and Sam's knees almost gave out on her at she approached. Luckily Teal'c had been prepared for this reaction and his firm grip on her elbow kept her from slipping on the hazardous ground. He assisted her until she was standing directly in front of the device and then he took a few steps away to give her privacy all the while attentive to her demeanor in case she should need support.   
  
It was early enough that there were only a few guards standing around and Daniel quickly shooed them away. As soon as Sam was alone she reached one hand out to touch the icy surface and her eyes filled with tears.   
  
"I'm here, Jack," she whispered.   
  
  
  
Leaving was the hardest thing she had ever had to do in her entire life. If Daniel and Teal'c hadn't been accompanying her she didn't think she could have done it. Now on the plane back to Colorado she watched as her two friends took turns dozing, one of them always awake and sitting with her. She couldn't sleep. She wondered if she would ever close her eyes again without seeing the image of Jack pale and frozen, more unreachable than he had ever been. She pulled her coat more tightly around her. She just couldn't seem to get warm.   
  
Twenty hours later they had landed at Peterson and been driven back to Cheyenne Mountain. Dr Weir was waiting for them, and they immediately were sequestered with her to give her a status report. Sam barely spoke a dozen words during the two hours that they met. When Weir questioned her she claimed jet lag, which was partially true. She figured it would take a week for her body to figure out what time of day it was after being in the air thirty-nine hours out of the last seventy-two. She almost sighed out loud in relief when the meeting adjourned. She needed to escape, breathe some fresh air, and find the solitude that would allow her to cry.   
  
Daniel and Teal'c insisted that they escort her home. Worried that Cassie might have gone out on a Friday night, they didn't want her returning to a dark empty house in her depressed state. Luckily for her Cassandra was there, and Sam convinced the two men that they should go and leave her to talk to Cassie alone.   
  
"I was going to go over to Melinda's to sleep over tonight, but I can cancel," Cass explained once Sam had relayed the little news she had.   
  
"No sweetie, go ahead. Frankly all the travel is catching up to me and I feel like I could sleep for a week," she told the teen. "You go ahead and we will plan to spend time together tomorrow when I am more awake," Sam assured her.   
  
"Ok, if you're sure. I ordered Chinese last night and there are plenty of leftovers in the fridge," Cassie imparted with a wave as she picked up her keys and overnight bag.  
  
And finally Sam was alone. Suddenly though she was restless and she realized that her house was not the refuge she needed that night. Twenty minutes later she was opening the front door of Jack's place and after closing the door behind her she stopped to let the peacefulness sink in. The moonlight was streaming in, and she didn't even need to turn a light on to find her way to the bedroom where they had spent the majority of the time they'd had together. Suddenly she was home, and with the smell and feel of the man she loved all around her she was able to curl up in the bed and sleep.  
  
When the nightmares came she awoke shaking with tears streaming down her face. She tried to burrow deeper into the covers but found no warmth there. Finally, wrapped in a blanket she went out to the living room and lit a fire, then curled up close to the warmth and let the dancing flames hypnotize her into a light doze. As the sun began to rise she decide she had better get back before Daniel and Teal'c showed up, as she knew they would.   
  
By the time they arrived with bagels in hand she had showered and changed, and made a silent vow to herself. They all would miss the Colonel immensely and they would get through this together as a family. But she would allow herself time to do her own grieving for Jack in private.   
  
And no one would see her cry.   
  
  
  
End Week 8   
  
  
  
Ok don't start throwing things… The main part of the series is the eight weeks that Sam is laid up with a broken leg. But just like there was a prologue there will be an epilogue! I'm not leaving it here… I would have a contract out on my head!  
  
In the mean time, thanks so much for all of the encouragement, suggestions and kind words. Muse has been truly inspired! 


	10. Epilogue: Going in Circles

Authors Notes: Thanks so much to everyone who took time to post a review for this series. You all kept my muse well fed, making this a true joy to write.   
  
Hopefully this ending will adequately repay you for sticking with me to the end!  
  
Jackie W.  
  
  
  
Title: "Eight Weeks Series – Epilogue – Going in Circles"  
  
Author: Jackie W.   
  
Email: jackiesfic@aol.com  
  
  
  
Spoilers: Beginning of Season 8… Eight Weeks version!  
  
Summary: Is there a cosmic conspiracy trying to keep them apart?   
  
  
  
Sam's life had settled into a routine. She was showered and dressed by 05:00 each weekday, and in her lab by 06:00. She rarely was able to stomach more than toast and coffee for breakfast, and generally worked through lunch unless Daniel or Teal'c forced her to take a break. At 16:00 she went to PT. The therapy was grueling, but the exercise had many benefits. Besides the obvious improvement in her leg, the hard work left her hungry and tired. She generally was able to eat a decent dinner and fall into an exhausted sleep that would last for five or six hours before the nightmares would wake her. On the weekends she spent time with Cassie, Daniel and Teal'c. At least once a week she managed to sneak away and get a couple of hours of quality sleep in Jack's bed. On a really good day the dreams she had while in his bed would be filled with the two of them making love. Other days she would use her time there to give into the tears, safe and secluded from prying eyes.   
  
As her PT declined to three days a week, she substituted other workouts to allow her to work up an appetite. As her leg regained some of it's strength she started taking weekend rides on her bike, basking in the warm sunshine to ward off the almost constant chill she felt. The result was a lean, muscled, sun-streaked blond, whose face was tanned and freckled. She looked stunning. The only thing lacking was her smile. It rarely made an appearance and when it did it never reached her eyes.   
  
As her prognosis had been updated and it became clear she would be fit for active duty in another couple of weeks, Dr. Weir had called her into discuss her next assignment. Not surprisingly they wanted her to take over the lead of SG1. She didn't jump at the opportunity, which left her CO a bit confused. She'd read the Lt. Colonel's records. Everything in there pointed to the fact that Carter was ready for command. So why the hesitation? Daniel and Teal'c could have told her. Out there you needed to rely on your gut instincts most of the time. You were no good if your feelings were numb. And Sam Carter's were frozen solid.  
  
All of that changed with one frantic phone call from Antarctica four weeks after Sam had taken her trip there. Jack O'Neill and the device he had been encased in had disappeared in a flash of light. Once again Sam's world was turned upside down. Despite her internal warnings that even the Asguard might not be able to help this time, she felt hope bubbling up, and bringing her back to life as it did.  
  
None of the three of them could stand the thought of leaving the base in case word came from the Asguard. It finally did two days later. A simple message confirming that they had O'Neill and that it would take about a week to restore him to health. Once again all Sam could do was wait.   
  
He arrived without warning; beamed down into the gateroom to shock the hell out of the SF's standing guard. Sgt. Davis was back in the Control room, and he quickly summoned Dr. Weir, and then the individual members of SG1. By the time Sam arrived, a scant three minutes after being paged, he was surrounded by people slapping him on the back and shaking his hand. She saw Daniel and Teal'c making their way to him and paused waiting for the ruckus to die down before she attempted to greet him. Soon the two were upon him, and the crowd stepped back to allow them in. Jack grabbed Daniel into a hug, even as he reached out to grasp Teal'c's arm. All the while his eyes were searching the crowd. Others began looking around too, and seeing her standing there, the sea parted so that they had a clear path to each other.   
  
By this time, Dr. Weir had made it down from the conference call she had been on, and was about to step forward to welcome the returning hero when she realized that there was something going on. O'Neill had taken a step forward and was staring at someone behind her. She turned to see Lt. Colonel Carter standing very still, staring back. The tension in the air could be cut by a knife. She mentally slapped herself on the forehead as all of the missing pieces to the puzzle fell into place.  
  
To her surprise, the first words out of Carter's mouth were, "You owe me $400 dollars."   
  
Sam's eyes were glistening with tears and before Weir even had time to question if she had misread the situation, the Lt. Colonel had flung herself into O'Neill's arms with a sob. A second later the Colonel was kissing her as if he would never let go.   
  
The crowd around them went wild. Most were whooping and cheering. Daniel and Teal'c simply grinned. Dr. Weir couldn't help but smile, even as she remembered her last conversation with the President. He had proposed that if Jack O'Neill made it back in one piece he would be the perfect person to take over as CO of the SGC, allowing Elizabeth to take a lead role in searching for the Lost City. Knowing that this could throw a wrench into those plans, she still couldn't help but enjoy the moment. The man had saved the planet, and he certainly deserved to get a hero's welcome.   
  
Sam and Jack were oblivious to the goings on around them. After long minutes, a shout to 'get a room' finally penetrated their consciousness, and they slowly moved apart. Jack's eyes devoured her and suddenly he smiled.  
  
"You're cast is off!" he exclaimed in delight.  
  
Sam blinked then smiled for the first time in seven weeks. "Yes it is. And I believe that you have a couple of promises to keep now that it won't be getting in the way," she reminded him quietly.   
  
Dr. Weir approached at that point and Sam made to step aside, but Jack held firmly to one hand so that she couldn't leave his side. She couldn't believe how much that small act thrilled her.   
  
"Colonel, welcome home. I'm sure this is going to be an interesting debriefing, but first I want you to hit the infirmary so that our doctor's can give you a thorough check-up," Weir ordered.  
  
Jack groaned, but a squeeze on his hand told him that he wasn't going to win this argument. "Not sure how much I can tell you that you don't already know, but sure, as long as there is food I'll be there. I've been living off that damn Asguard replicated stuff for a week," Jack agreed.  
  
In the infirmary the medical staff had a hard time getting the rest of SG1 to give them enough room to work. They tolerated the three for several minutes, then shooed them out, quickly calling Sam back in when Jack complained loudly.   
  
While they poked and prodded he took the time to study Sam. Thor had told him he'd been in stasis for almost six weeks. He could see that she had changed a bit in that time.   
  
"You've lost weight," he accused.  
  
"Yeah, PT was gruesome," she acknowledged.  
  
"Your hair is lighter too," he surprised her by noticing.  
  
"I've been riding my bike a lot and I usually stop for a bit to enjoy the sun," Sam told him, not going into how she had needed the warmth so badly.  
  
"You look fantastic," he told her breaking into a sexy grin that made her heart race.  
  
Dr. Meyer broke the moment by declaring Jack fit, and he hopped off of the bed with glee. "Let's get this debriefing over with Colonel. I have plans for this evening," he announced.  
  
Sam followed him out of the infirmary her mind already racing through the possibilities.   
  
  
  
The debriefing should have been short, however after relating the few things he remembered, they had been interrupted by the red phone ringing in Dr. Weir's office. After a few brief words she called in O'Neill and shut the door. When they re-emerged he was not happy.  
  
"This is the thanks I get for saving the planet?" he complained loudly. As he noticed the raised eyebrows in the room he explained. "The president wants to promote me to General and give me command of the SGC. I told him to go jump in a lake."  
  
At his words Sam's world came crashing down around her once again. It was a wonderful opportunity. She couldn't just let him pass it up for her. She raised her eyes and met his with determination. "You're the perfect choice," she told him and she got up and walked out of the room.   
  
He caught up with her at the elevators. "He made me take a week to think about it," he confessed. "That gives us some time."  
  
She looked at him in dismay. "I can't spend a week with you and then go back to the way things were before," she stated firmly.  
  
"Do you think I could?" he asked her. "No, I have a plan. Do you trust me?"  
  
Sam was surprised to see him looking uncertain. Did he even have to ask? "With my life," she acknowledged.  
  
  
  
They told Daniel and Teal'c to meet them for lunch the next day at Sam's and called Cassie to give her the good news and to let her know not to expect Sam home which had been cause for the teen to rejoice and tease in the same breath. They stopped to inform Weir that Carter would be taking a few days off which had elicited from her a chuckle and a response of "What a surprise". Then they just disappeared. By the time they reappeared at noon the next day there was no doubt in their friends' minds what they had been up to. Sam was positively glowing, and Jack looked more relaxed than anyone could ever remember seeing him.   
  
The evening before the two had secluded themselves at Jack's house where they had energetically made their way through the first two items on the 'Things to do when Sam's cast comes off' list before Jack laid out 'the plan' to Sam. To his surprise she'd agreed immediately and then sealed the bargain by starting in on number three on the list. They skipped number four as it required a lake and would have to wait until they were at the cabin. Numbers five and six had been accomplished that morning in the shower. If Dr. Meyer still had any doubts as to Jack's fitness Sam could put them to rest.   
  
At lunch they gleefully filled Daniel, Teal'c and Cassie in on their parts in the upcoming events. The three willing co-conspirators got right to work. Plans proceeded flawlessly, and three days later the President and Dr. Weir were each staring at official documents accompanied by a set of color prints and a letter from Colonel Jack O'Neill. Elizabeth Weir's hand was reaching for the red phone even as it rang. By the time the President's voice bellowed in her ear the two officers responsible for the CIC's ire were safely ensconced in a cozy cabin on a lake in Minnesota.   
  
"You told O'Neill you wouldn't take no for an answer, Sir. If you want him you'll have to go along with this. Quite frankly I don't think we can afford to let someone capable of this level of strategic planning go," Weir advised with a grin. Personally she'd been thrilled and not really surprised by the maneuver.   
  
"Very well, Doctor. When the Colonel contacts you let him know that I accept his terms," President Hayes sighed in defeat.  
  
  
  
It had taken a while to get all of the paperwork signed and filed, so it was another ten days before General Jack O'Neill stood in the control room, waiting to send the first team under his command as CO of the SGC through the gate. He looked down at the three people waiting at the bottom of the ramp with some trepidation. SG1 was going to remain a three-person team for now, led by Sam, as was her due. At least he didn't have to worry about the quality of the team watching her back he thought.   
  
As the wormhole formed and he gave them the 'go' she sent him a sloppy salute and then raised her hand to touch the object hanging from her dog tags with a smile before turning and leading Daniel and Teal'c through to P4X-735. In response Jack subconsciously found himself twisting the matching wedding band on his finger. Presenting President Hayes with a fait accompli had been risky, but no matter what the outcome had been he would never have regretted marrying Sam during the week he had been 'considering' his new assignment, and he'd do everything in his power to make sure she never did either.  
  
His letter that had accompanied the marriage certificate and wedding photos had bluntly informed the President that they came as a matched set.  
  
It had been true for a lot longer than the two weeks they had legally been husband and wife.   
  
  
  
The end 


End file.
